After more than nine hours of combat, the Canadian double was resolved against Italy (2-1) and confirmed the poster for the final of this Davis Cup, with Australia as the second contender. The two will be measured this Sunday (from 1:00 p.m., Movistar) from radically different positions and with a very open prognosis, although the greater wear and tear of the North Americans could play a crucial role in the final fight for the Salad Bowl ; as they debated, the opponents relaxed their legs and watched through the television. Either way, whoever wins, the trophy will leave Europe for the second time in 15 years; only Argentina (2016) interrupted the domination of the old continent in this band.

It’s history against excitement, the weight of history against the rise of new, which is not the first time since Canada was already playing the final three years ago. Then he gave in against Spain in the Caja Mágica de Madrid and now he challenges Australia in the Martín Carpena, classic and hierarchical where it exists, but also depressed for a long time because to find his last success you have to go back to 2003. Then he triumphed with Lleyton Hewitt as his banner, and now the former number one commands a mid-profile group from the bench – De Miñaur (24th at the ATP) is his reference – which has been able to compete very well these days on the fast lane in Malaga.

The Oceanicians are bidding to win their 29th trophy and close the gap to the United States, who have amassed 32. In the finals, they left behind the Netherlands and Croatia, and now they will face the one of the most effervescent teams of the moment. Directed by Félix Auger-Aliassime, the player with the best ranking (6th) At the end of this Davis, the vigorous Canada was able to get out of the quagmire against Italy, starting on the right foot thanks to Lorenzo Sonego (7-6 (4), 6-7 (5) and 6-4 to Denis Shapovalov, in 3h 15) then ended up succumbing under the pressure of a team that was doing better and deserved it more. Without Yannik Sinner in the pay, the Turinese was once again the best soloist. However, the one who ended up going up was the young Canadian.

“Yes, this year is a very special trip,” said Auger-Aliassime, who in 2022 made a plenary session at Davis (six out of six), in addition to having integrated the four titles that shine in his locker -Rotterdam , Florence, Antwerp and Basel – and to complete a magnificent final stretch of the season; “I feel good, there is no time to be tired. We have the best team in our history and we deserve to be where we are.”

As has already happened in the quarter-finals against the Germans, Aliassime served as a fire extinguisher in the face of Shapovalov’s error. A recent competitor to the Masters Cup, he made his entrance and the dynamic changed. He intervened again when his team was in water up to their necks, after his partner (hit on the back) gave in at the opening and left his team, led by Frank Dancevic, in a compromised situation. He first overthrows Lorenzo Musetti (6-3 and 6-4, in 1h 26m) then jumps with Vasek Pospisil to seal the victory against the duo formed by Fabio Fognini and Matteo Berrettini (7-6 (2) and 7-5 , in 2h 04m). The latter was the big surprise. A priori Simone Bolelli was supposed to train but coach Filippo Volandri looked for the coup with the Roman, who at first only attended to be happy to be theoretically on reserve due to left foot ailments : “It was not my best performance, it is clear”.

Neither he nor Fognini were doing well, and Italy once again found themselves idly by. He intended to return to the final after 24 years of absence – 1998 as the last precedent – and the only laurel that appears in his file requires going back to 1976, the era of a formidable quartet, the Panatta, Barazzutti, Zugarelli and Bertolucci. Today, the federal plan is working and its young people are taking flight, but Canada has set the limit. The Americans will try to catch up the defeat three years ago in Madrid, and incidentally consolidates as the strongest team of the year, since in January they have already won the ATP Cup; if they succeed, they will repeat the double achieved last year by Russia, defeated this year in the competition for the war.

So far, Australia and Canada have met 10 times, going 9-1 in favor of the former. However, these nine victories of the The australians They are compiled from the sixties in reverse (1964, 1959, 1955, 1950, 1949…), as the Canadians won 2-1 in 2019.

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