Holders Canada knocked out of tennis’ Davis Cup by Finland

MALAGA – Canada’s reign as Davis Cup champions was ended by outsiders Finland who produced a big shock on the opening day of the Final Eight in Malaga on Tuesday.

Roared on by thousands of Finnish fans, Otto Virtanen and Harri Heliovaara beat Vasek Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau 7-5, 6-3 to move in to the semi-finals for the first time.

Milos Raonic, playing in the event for the first time in five years, had given Canada the perfect start as he dispatched lowly-ranked Finn Patrick Kaukovalta 6-3, 7-5 thanks to 18 aces.

Both teams were hit by injuries with Canada’s top-ranked player Felix Auger-Aliassime unable to take to the court while Finland’s No. 1 Emil Ruusuvuori was also ruled out.

But 171st-ranked Virtanen stepped up for his country with an impressive defeat of fellow 22-year-old Gabriel Diallo to take the tie into a deciding doubles rubber.

Virtanen again produced some stunning tennis while Canada’s hopes were not helped by an injury to Pospisil who battled on.

A service break in the eighth game of the second set proved enough and Finland sealed the win to set up a clash later this week against Czech Republic or last year’s runners-up Australia.

The Final Eight continues on Wednesday with the Czechs taking on Australia when organisers, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), will hope the atmosphere matches that of the week’s opening battle.

Changes to the format of the historic competition in recent years following a now defunct alliance with Spanish investment company Kosmos have not been everyone’s cup of tea, with the traditional ‘home and away’ ties largely replaced.

But ITF president David Haggerty said the new format, featuring qualifiers spread across four cities in September to determine the Final Eight in Malaga, is the best formula.

“The home and away format is not going to work and the players told us that in the past,” he told BBC Sport.

“It would not be a good competition if we went back to only home and away. Sometimes the loudest voices aren’t always the majority.”

Tuesday’s near sell-out crowd certainly provided the sort of atmosphere that was sadly lacking in some ties in September and the Finnish fans, many of whom are residents in Spain, will be out in force again on Friday.

“Obviously it’s a great moment now today and it’s still not time to celebrate. We have the chance to go even further,” Finland captain Jarkko Nieminen said.

“With this great feeling and confidence, it’s really nice to step on court on Friday. It’s incredible, the whole journey with these guys since I started as a captain.” REUTERS