Canada is within the driver’s seat after an ideal begin to its Davis Cup qualifier towards South Korea.
Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C., defeated Seongchan Hong 6-4, 6-3 on Friday after Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo opened with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Soonwoo Kwon, giving No. 2-ranked Canada a 2-0 lead over No. 18 South Korea within the best-of-five occasion.
The 33-year-old Pospisil, enjoying within the thirty third Davis Cup tie of his profession, improved to 32-25 all-time in event play.
Diallo, 22, gained his match in a single hour half-hour in entrance of 1,829 spectators inside IGA Stadium, together with a number of the hometown participant’s household and buddies.
Play continues Saturday with Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., scheduled to play doubles towards Jisung Nam and Minkyu Track.
Diallo then meets Hong whereas Pospisil faces Kwon in two singles rubbers, although lineups are topic to vary.
Tennis Canada introduced tickets for Saturday have been bought out.
Diallo mentioned he cherished the chance to play in entrance of his residence crowd.
“It’s what I’ve labored for,” he mentioned. “For me, there’s no greater second than this, I’m from the town, from this neighbourhood, I reside seven minutes away and grew up coming (to) practise right here.”
Regardless of falling to No. 700 resulting from accidents, Kwon was a tough opponent. The previous world No. 52 beforehand upset high Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in Davis Cup play in 2022.
The six-foot-eight 198-pound Diallo — who ranks No. 132 on the ATP Tour — hit 11 aces to Kwon’s two and led with 11 winners to 5. Diallo had 47 unforced errors whereas Kwon made 41 in a match stuffed with errors.
The 2 units performed out in a similar way.
Kwon went up a break halfway by way of every set, however Diallo rapidly broke again on each events to achieve momentum.
“The perfect time to interrupt is correct after you’ve been damaged,” Diallo mentioned. “It may be powerful to consolidate your break, so I do know he can let his guard down a bit after breaking.
“I stayed composed when issues weren’t trying too good … I dragged it, dragged it, made him give it some thought, and I feel I did a very good job of staying there and never fading away.”
Pospisil and Hong met for the second time after the Canadian gained in a third-set tiebreak throughout Davis Cup play in 2022.
On this event, Pospisil dominated with 22 winners to Hong’s 5 to beat his 40 unforced errors.
Hong broke to go up 2-1 and held on to his benefit for a 4-2 lead earlier than Pospisil gained 4 straight video games, taking the set on a Kwon double fault.
After falling down a break once more early within the second, Pospisil gained 4 straight video games for a commanding 5-2 lead. Pospisil then held serve up 5-3, profitable with a volley to earn the win.
The match took 1:48 to finish, partially resulting from delays as Pospisil took subject with the strain of the balls a number of instances.
Montreal final hosted a Davis Cup tie in September 2012 when Canada beat South Africa 4-1.
Former world No. 3 Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., and Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ont., spherical out the Canadian group with high gamers Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Auger-Aliassime, from Montreal, absent.
Canada gained its solely earlier encounter towards South Korea throughout the 2022 round-robin event in Valencia, Spain, en path to its first Davis Cup title. Canada misplaced to Finland within the quarterfinals final yr.
The profitable nation advances to the group stage of the Davis Cup Finals in September. The Finals happen in November at Malaga, Spain.
