MADRID, November 21. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Finland, with tennis player Otto Virtanen as its hero, created a surprise on the first day of the “Final 8” of the Davis Cup, which is being played this week at the Martín Carpena Pavilion in Malaga, by beating the reigning champion. , Canada (2-1), to qualify for the semi-finals.

In the first singles match, Milos Raonic advanced the North American team after beating Patrick Kaukovalta in straight sets (6-3, 7-5). The former world number three, who had not played a Davis Cup duel since 2018, did not face any break points against him and took advantage of two of the five available to him.

Thus, he finished the first set after breaking his opponent’s serve in the eighth game, and did the same in the eleventh of the second set to avoid the tie-break and end the competition after one hour and eight minutes.

Subsequently, Otto Virtanen brought the score to 1-1 by beating Gabriel Diallo (6-4, 7-5), Canadian number one in the absence of Félix Auger-Aliassime and who arrived in the Andalusian city with physical discomfort . The Nordic player, world number 171, won the first set by breaking in the third game and resisting a break point in the fourth.

Already in the second set, he missed three break opportunities before taking advantage of the fourth, in the eleventh game, and winning the match. Everything would be resolved in the doubles match, where Virtanen did it again with Harri Heliovaara against Alexis Galarneau and Vasek Pospisil.

The Finnish duo started with a 4-1 that the Canadian pair neutralized with another break (4-4), but in the twelfth game, on their second opportunity, they closed the set in their favor for the rest. A simple break in the eighth game of the second set allowed Finland to score and eliminate the champion.