MALAGA, Spain (AFP) — Finland eliminated reigning champion Canada with a 2-1 Davis Cup Last Eight triumph, buoyed by fervent support as the finals began in Malaga on Tuesday.
Following their triumph in the Billie Jean King Cup earlier in November, the Canadians hoped to continue their success in the men’s World Cup of tennis but were ousted as Finland reached the semifinals for the first time.
Canada’s Milos Raonic eased to a 6-3, 7-5 win over Patrick Kaukovalta in the first singles rubber before Otto Virtanen kept Finland’s hopes alive by beating Gabriel Diallo 6-4, 7-5.
Virtanen returned alongside Harri Heliovaara to triumph 7-5, 6-3 in the decisive doubles against Alexis Galarneau and Vasek Pospisil to delight a few thousand Finnish supporters on the Costa del Sol.
“We played really great doubles today. We played really great together,” Virtanen said.
Heliovaara revealed he had never even played with his team-mate in training as doubles pairing before defeating Canada.
“We have never, ever practiced even one point together before today. We went through the tactics 15 minutes before the match,” he said.
Neither country had their top-ranked player available, with Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime and Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori both hurt.
