Outsiders Finland stunned Canada on the first day of the Final Eight in Malaga on Tuesday, ending Canada’s run as Davis Cup champions. Otto Virtanen and Harri Heliovaara, cheered on by hundreds of Finnish fans, defeated Vasek Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau 7-5, 6-3 to advance to the semi-finals for the first time. Milos Raonic, competing in the tournament for the first time in five years, gave Canada the perfect start, defeating lowly-ranked Finn Patrick Kaukovalta 6-3, 7-5 with 18 aces.
Both sides were hampered by injury, with Canada’s top-ranked player, Felix Auger-Aliassime, unable to play, and Finland’s number one, Emil Ruusuvuori, also ruled out. But 171st-ranked Virtanen stepped up for his country, defeating fellow 22-year-old Gabriel Diallo to force a final doubles rubber. Virtanen once again delivered some magnificent tennis, while an injury to Pospisil, who battled on, did not assist Canada’s chances.
A service break in the eighth game of the second set proved decisive, and Finland advanced to face either the Czech Republic or last year’s runners-up Australia later this week. The Final Eight continues on Wednesday with the Czechs taking on Australia, with the International Tennis Federation hoping for a similar spirit to the opening match of the week.
Changes to the historic competition’s framework in recent years, as a result of a now-defunct association with Spanish financial firm Kosmos, have not been everyone’s cup of tea, with traditional ‘home and away’ ties essentially replaced. However, ITF president David Haggerty believes the current format, which includes qualifying in four cities in September to select the Final Eight in Malaga, is the finest formula.
The home and away format is not going to work and the players told us that in the past. It would not be a good competition if we go back to only home and away. Sometimes the loudest voices aren’t always the majority, Haggerty said. The nearly sold-out crowd on Tuesday produced the kind of excitement that was sadly lacking in certain ties in September, and the Finnish fans, many of whom live in Spain, will be out in force again on Friday.
It’s a great moment today and it’s still not time to celebrate. We have the chance to go even further, Finland captain Jarkko Nieminen said after securing a memorable win. With this great feeling and confidence, it’s nice to step on the court on Friday. It’s incredible, the whole journey with these guys since I started as a captain, he concluded.
