Pospisil captures fifth and deciding match to defeat Israel 3-2
Toronto, September 18, 2011 – The Miele Canadian Davis Cup team is heading back to the World Group after defeating Israel 3-2 in the deciding fifth rubber at Canada Stadium in Ramat Hasharon, Israel on Sunday. Peter Polansky (Thornhill, Ontario) started the day in place of world no. 31 Milos Raonic (Thornhill, Ontario) against Israel’s No. 1 player Dudi Sela who defeated the Canadian 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. It was then Canada’s workhorse Vasek Pospisil (Vancouver) in the deciding match against Amir Weintraub. Pospisil pulled through with a victory 6-2, 7-6(3), 6-4 to win the tie for his team.
After winning the doubles match on Saturday and taking a 2-1 lead, Canada needed to win just one of the two final singles matches to claim victory in the tie. Polansky was a last-minute substitution for Raonic who decided with his support team that he was not ready to play another match after Friday’s loss to Weintraub. Polansky was in tough from the beginning against the No. 96 ranked Sela who after a slightly sluggish start began to move better and grind Polansky down. Polansky had opportunities to get back into the match but was unable to capitalize on most of them converting only one of 10 break point chances which helped Sela on his way to a fairly routine straight sets win and allowed Israel to force a fifth and deciding rubber.
“It was tough today,” said Polansky. “I came up short on some of the bigger points. I fought hard, but it was just really tough conditions. It was my first live match in a while at Davis Cup and I did my best. Now it is up to Vasek. He has played really well this weekend and our whole team has a lot of confidence in him.”
The pressure was then squarely on the shoulders of Pospisil who had already played hero twice during the tie, defeating Sela in an epic five-setter on Friday and then beating an established doubles team in Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram on Saturday with partner Daniel Nestor.
Pospisil was in full control of the match in the first set, breaking Weintraub twice and keeping the points fast and short on his own serve. However, just like in his match on Friday, Weintraub picked up the pace in the second set and took an early lead. But he could not close it out against Pospisil who saved two set points in the tenth game and ultimately took a commanding two-set advantage by winning the tiebreak. He went on to do much of the same in the third, and after a late break, 27 aces and 54 winners, Posipisil served his country back into the World Group.
“This is the happiest moment of my life and my tennis career,” said Pospisil. “This is something you dream about as a kid, to play for your country and get a win like this. I was feeling pretty tired this morning and I just tried not to let it get to my head. You never think matches like this are going to end and so when you win match point it is shock, relief and a lot of emotion that just knocks you to the ground.”
Canada now moves on to the World Group for the first time since 2004. Only 16 nations entered in Davis Cup play qualify for the elite World Group. The draw for opponent and choice of ground will take place this Wednesday, September 21 in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Vasek beat the state of Israel this weekend,” said Canada’s captain Martin Laurendeau. “It wasn’t just a quality team. It was the opponent and the heat and the crowd. It was just a gutsy effort from our horse. Our team has been working to get back to the World Group for seven years now and we are all so happy and so excited to have reached our goal this year. It wasn’t easy. We had to win three ties on the road against tough teams and in tough conditions but it is moments like this that you play for. This is what Davis Cup is all about.”
Earlier this year, Canada defeated Mexico 4-1 and Ecuador 3-2 in away ties as part of their journey back to the World Group. The World Group first round tie will be played from February 10-12, 2012.
Canada's Davis Cup hero Vasek Pospisil
MONTREAL - Davis Cup hero Vasek Pospisil hardly looked the worse for wear after an infernally long trip back to Montreal from Israel – in economy class, no less.
But after more than 12 hours spent on the court at Canada Stadium in Ramat Hasharon last weekend, taking the Canadian squad on his back and leading it to the prestigious 16-country World Group, the 21-year-old was really looking forward to shutting it down and catching up on his sleep for a few days.
“It’s something you dream about as a kid,” Pospisil said Tuesday at Uniprix Stadium. “And to do it like that, on a stage like that, it’s something incredible. It’s going to give me confidence for my own career, and a big boost on the practice courts to train really hard and take it to the next level.”
The next step in Canada’s Davis Cup journey will be known around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, when the International Tennis Federation makes the draw for the 2012 World Group.
Canada’s international ranking jumped from No. 21 to No. 14 with the victory against Israel. It will face one of the eight top nations in the World Group’s first round, which will take place next Feb. 10-12 in a city and venue to be determined. The possibilities are Spain, Argentina, Serbia, France, the U.S., the Czech Republic, Croatia and Russia.
If Canada draws Spain or Argentina, it is guaranteed a home tie because the last time the two countries met, the Canadians played on the road. With the other six, home-court advantage will be decided by a coin flip.
With a soon-to-be-healthy Milos Raonic and the emerging Pospisil on the squad, anything is possible.
“We both have a lot of firepower, and we both can pull off upsets – especially if we play at home,” Pospisil said. “It would be great to have a home tie here in Canada with our own fans and our own courts. The whole team is excited. It doesn’t matter who we play; I think we can pull off an upset if we really play well.”
For captain Martin Laurendeau, who led the squad through three consecutive road ties this season – the first two on the rather Canadian-unfriendly red clay in Mexico and Ecuador – it was time to catch his breath.
“In Davis Cup, sometimes you have to take chances, sometimes luck has to be on your side,” Laurendeau said. “I think we deserved the victory. There are always so many twists and turns. You think you’ll win – and then you think all is lost. Something happens. That’s why when it’s done, there’s such joy and such relief.”
Drawing Israel was a good break. It was a team without a top-50 player, a beatable team.
Raonic’s hip injury was an unexpected blow, even though he did everything he could to return to action in time. But given Raonic’s uncertain status, the choice of a backup singles player was even more crucial. There, Laurendeau’s options were limited.
Frank Dancevic, for years Canada’s best singles player, wasn’t an option. The 26-year-old from Niagara Falls said he was “disinvited” by Laurendeau for the Israel tie after he declined to play in July against Ecuador, and consequently was denied a wild card into last month’s Rogers Cup.
Laurendeau said Tuesday that Dancevic took himself out of the running.
“It had nothing to do with principles. Frank didn’t want to play,” Laurendeau said. “Even after Vancouver (a Challenger tournament at the beginning of August), the subject came up. He said he wasn’t available or interested, so you have to look at other options.”
Peter Polansky had the most Davis Cup experience, but he had been out with a groin injury all summer and only returned to action at a small event the week before the tie.
Vancouver’s Philip Bester had been playing well, but a stress fracture in his hand, which looked healed, re-emerged when he returned to the practice court. Quebecers Erik Chvojka and Pierre-Ludovic Duclos would have been making their Davis Cup debuts under the most stressful circumstances.
“At least Peter had played some matches,” Laurendeau said. “It’s a difficult decision, but would a player ranked 300-400 have done better? You have to look at the odds, the conditions; it’s difficult for someone who has never played to jump in there.”
And so, with Canada leading 2-1, it was Polansky who subbed in for Raonic Sunday for the potential clinching match. Raonic, after losing to Israeli No. 2 Amir Weintraub on Friday, just wasn’t ready.
“He was short maybe a week or two,” Laurendeau said. “He did everything that we asked of him, and that he asked of himself. But you can’t force someone who doesn’t think they can win. It was a long shot for Peter. Everyone knew it, including Peter.”
After Polansky lost to Dudi Sela in straight sets, it came down to Pospisil.
For the third day in a row – luckily for Canada – he closed the deal.
“It was fun to see Vasek go during the weekend,” Laurendeau said.
“We knew he was confident, on a bit of a cloud. But there was a lot of pressure, and this wasn’t a 28- or 29-year-old veteran who had seen it all before. There was almost nothing that would stop him.”
About Davis Cup by BNP Paribas
The Davis Cup by BNP Paribas is the largest annual international team sport competition in the world. A total of 125 nations entered Davis Cup in 2010 while only 16 countries qualify for the elite World Group each year.At other levels, the Davis Cup nations compete in Zonal Competitions, which are split into three zones: the Americas Zone, the Asia/Oceania Zone and the Europe/Africa Zone. In each zone there are four groups, Group I being the highest and Group IV the lowest. More information is available at www.daviscup.com.
About Tennis Canada
Founded in 1890, Tennis Canada is a non-profit, national sport association responsible for leading the growth, promotion and showcasing of tennis in Canada. Tennis Canada owns and operates two of the premier events on the ATP and WTA Tours; Rogers Cup presented by National Bank men’s and women’s events that rotate annually between Rexall Centre in Toronto and Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. In addition, Tennis Canada owns and operates seven professional ITF sanctioned events and financially supports seven other professional tournaments in Canada. Tennis Canada operates national training centres at the Centre of Excellence in Toronto and at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. Tennis Canada is a proud member of the International Tennis Federation, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the International Wheelchair Tennis Association, and serves to administer, sponsor and select the teams for Davis Cup, Fed Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and all wheelchair, junior and senior national teams. Tennis Canada invests its surplus into tennis development. For more information on Tennis Canada please visit our Web site at: http://www.lovemeansnothing.ca/
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LE CANADA PROMU AU GROUPE MONDIAL DE LA COUPE DAVIS PAR BNP PARIBAS
Pospisil remporte le cinquième match décisif pour vaincre Israël 3-2
Toronto, le 18 septembre 2011 – L’équipe canadienne Miele de la Coupe Davis effectuera un retour au sein du Groupe mondial après avoir pris la mesure d’Israël 3-2 dimanche, dans le cinquième match décisif au Stade Canada, à Ramat Hasharon, en Israël. En remplacement de Milos Raonic (Thornhill, Ontario), Peter Polansky (Thornhill, Ontario) a amorcé la journée contre le numéro un israélien Dudi Sela, qui a disposé du Canadien en trois manches identiques de 6-3. Les espoirs du Canada reposaient donc sur les épaules de la bête de somme Vasek Pospisil (Vancouver) dans le cinquième affrontement contre Amir Weintraub. Encore une fois, Pospisil a répondu aux attentes en signant un gain de 6-2, 7-6(3) et 6-4 pour ainsi marquer le point gagnant.
Après avoir mis la main sur le match de double samedi, le Canada a pris une avance de 2-1 et n’avait besoin que de gagner un des deux matchs de dimanche pour s’envoler avec la victoire. Polansky a remplacé Raonic à la dernière minute lorsque ce dernier, après consultation avec les autres membres de l’équipe, a décidé qu’il n’était pas prêt à disputer un autre match. Polansky n’a pas eu la partie facile contre Sela, 96e mondial, qui a retrouvé son aplomb après un lent départ et qui n’a fait qu’une bouchée du Canadien. Bien que Polansky ait eu plusieurs occasions de briser son adversaire et de revenir dans le match, il n’a pas su en profiter, ne convertissant qu’une seule de ses dix balles de bris et permettant ainsi à Israël de forcer la tenue d’un cinquième match décisif.
« Cela a été difficile aujourd'hui », mentionnait Polansky. « Je n’ai pas bien exécuté les points importants. J’ai essayé de me battre, mais les conditions n’étaient pas évidentes. C’était mon premier match de Coupe Davis depuis un bout de temps. Tout repose maintenant sur la raquette de Vasek. Il a bien joué ce week-end et toute l’équipe a entièrement confiance en lui. »
Pospisil avait déjà joué le héros à deux reprises au cours de la rencontre après avoir battu Sela dans un long match de cinq manches vendredi et pris la mesure samedi d’une équipe de double aguerrie composée de Jonathan Erlich et d’Andy Ram, aux côtés de Daniel Nestor.
À la manche initiale, Pospisil était le maître de la situation, ravissant le service de Weintraub deux fois et ne prolongeant pas les échanges inutilement. Cependant, à l’instar de vendredi, Weintraub a rehaussé son niveau de jeu pour prendre les devants en deuxième. Par contre, il a été incapable de profiter de cette avance contre Pospisil qui a essuyé deux balles de match à la dixième partie et a ultimement remporté le jeu décisif, creusant ainsi l’écart à deux manches à zéro. Le scénario s’est plus ou moins répété en troisième manche et après un bris de service en fin de manche, 27 aces et 54 coups gagnants, Posipisil a servi pour offrir au Canada une place au Groupe mondial.
« Ceci est le moment le plus merveilleux de ma vie et de ma carrière de tennis », déclarait Pospisil. « C’est un rêve d’enfance devenu réalité; jouer pour son pays et signer une victoire comme celle-ci. J’étais fatigué ce matin, mais je ne voulais pas me laisser distraire par cela. Sur le moment, on pense que ces matchs-là ne se termineront jamais, et quand tu gagnes la balle de match, c’est à la fois un sentiment de soulagement et d’exaltation qui te cloue au sol ».
Le Canada est donc promu au Groupe mondial pour la première fois depuis 2004. Seuls 16 pays inscrits aux compétitions de la Coupe Davis se qualifient pour ce groupe élite. Le tirage déterminant les face à face et les pays hôtes sera effectué le mercredi 21 septembre, à Bangkok, en Thaïlande.
« Ce week-end, Vasek a battu l’État d’Israël », commentait le capitaine canadien Martin Laurendeau. « Il n’affrontait pas seulement des adversaires de qualité; il se mesurait également à la chaleur et à la foule. Notre bête de somme a fait preuve de beaucoup de courage. Notre équipe travaille d’arrache-pied depuis sept ans pour réintégrer le Groupe mondial et nous sommes très excités d’avoir réalisé notre objectif cette année. Nous avons dû remporter trois rencontres à l’étranger dans des conditions difficiles, mais ce sont pour des moments comme celui-ci que nous jouons. Voilà l’essence même de la Coupe Davis. »
Au début de l’année, le Canada avait battu le Mexique 4-1, puis l’Équateur 3-2 dans sa quête pour le Groupe mondial. Le premier tour du Groupe mondial sera disputé du 10 au 12 février 2012.
À propos de la Coupe Davis par BNP Paribas
La Coupe Davis par BNP Paribas est la plus importante compétition sportive par équipe. Bien que 133 nations participent aux épreuves de la Coupe Davis en 2010, seules 16 se qualifient chaque année pour le Groupe mondial. Aux autres niveaux, les pays participants sont répartis en trois zones : la zone américaine, la zone Asie/Océanie et la zone Europe/Afrique. Quatre groupes forment chacune de ces zones, le Groupe I étant le meilleur. Pour obtenir plus de renseignements, visitez www.daviscup.com.
À propos de Tennis Canada
Tennis Canada, dont les origines remontent à 1890, est une organisation sportive nationale sans but lucratif responsable du développement, de la promotion et de la mise en valeur du tennis au pays. Tennis Canada possède et administre deux des plus prestigieux tournois de l’ATP et du WTA Tour; les volets masculin et féminin de la Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale, dont la présentation alterne chaque année entre le Centre Rexall, à Toronto, et le Stade Uniprix, à Montréal. De plus, Tennis Canada possède et administre sept tournois professionnels sanctionnés par l’ITF et soutient financièrement sept autres tournois professionnels au Canada. Tennis Canada administre des centres nationaux d’entraînement au Centre de l’excellence, à Toronto, et au Stade Uniprix, à Montréal. Tennis Canada est membre de la Fédération internationale de tennis, du Comité olympique canadien, du Comité paralympique canadien et de l’Association internationale de tennis en fauteuil roulant. De plus, Tennis Canada administre, commandite et choisit des équipes pour la Coupe Davis, la Fed Cup, les Jeux olympiques et paralympiques et forme des équipes nationales pour les juniors, les vétérans et les joueurs de tennis en fauteuil roulant. Tennis Canada investit ses excédents budgétaires dans le développement du tennis. Pour obtenir plus amples renseignements sur Tennis Canada, visitez notre site Web sur www.ViveLesEchanges.ca.
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