Agony for Russia as they lose to Canada in epic Davis Cup semifinal

Russia’s Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov suffered Davis Cup semifinal agony as they were beaten in a decisive three-set doubles epic by Canadian pair Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil in Madrid.

With the tie level at 1-1 after the singles matches, Shapovalov and Pospisil won a nail-biting rubber 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5), and will now face either Spain or Great Britain in Sunday’s final.

For Russian pairing Rublev and Khachanov it was an agonising defeat after a mammoth effort in what was a thrilling, topsy-turvy tie.

Russia had stunned Serbia and Novak Djokovic by winning their quarterfinal tie 2-1 on Friday, and played out a similarly titanic affair with the Canadians in the Spanish capital 24 hours later. 

Rublev showed no signs of initial weariness from his exertions against Serbia as he raced out of the traps to beat Vasek Pospisil in straight sets 6-4 6-4 and put Russia 1-0 up in the tie.

It was Rublev’s fourth singles win in four matches in Madrid, as the world number 23 again delivered for his team.

Khachanov appeared in control in the opening stages of his singles tie against Denis Shapovalov as he surged into a 4-1 lead, but the 20-year-old Canadian reeled off five straight games to take the set.

The second set went with serve before world number 17 Khachanov ratcheted up the pressure in game 11, with Shapovalov double-faulting on set point to hand his opponent a way back into the match.  

A similarly tight third set ensued in which world number 15 Shapovalov secured the all-important break. Serving for the set and the match, he clawed himself back from 0-40 down to beat Khachanov and send the tie to a decisive doubles rubber. 

Russia sent out Khachanov and Rublev while Canada went with pairing Shapovalov and Pospisil, and it was the Canadians who edged the first set 6-3 after they secured a break in game two and held on despite heavy pressure.   

But Rublev, a star throughout the week for Russia, stepped up again in the second set with some superb returns and big serving as he and Khachanov leveled the match at one set apiece. 

A tense third set ensued as proceedings went with serve, meaning the match and the tie would go to a tiebreak. 

Russia egded into a 4-2 lead at the change of ends, but the Canadians reversed the tide to clinch the tiebreak 7-5 and claim a spot in the final. 

AFP

It is the first year of the $3 billion revamp to the Davis Cup, labelled 'The World Cup of Tennis' and spearheaded by Barcelona and Spain football star Gerard Pique.

Eighteen countries started out in Madrid, divided into six groups from which the top teams and best second-placed finishers progressed.

Russia had been aiming for a first title since 2006, when a team featuring Marat Safin, Nikolay Davydenko and Dmitry Tursunov beat Argentina in Moscow.  

But instead, it is Canada who progress to Sunday's showpiece for the first time in their history, where they will face the winners of the second semifinal contested by Great Britain and a Spain team led by world number one Rafael Nadal.