The United States took advantage of Canada’s gift in the first tie of Group C of the ATP Cup at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. Denis Shapovalov, number two of the Davis Cup runner-up team in 2019, was erased citing fatigue (something similar to what the Greek Tsitsipas did on Saturday) and John Isner passed over his replacement, Brayden Schnur (6-1, 6-3 in 65 minutes). Later, Taylor Fritz came back against Felix Auger-Aliassime (6-7 (6), 6-4 and 6-4 in 2h28) and the team captained by his coach, Michael Russell, secured the victory in the absence of the penalty point. Doubles that Fritz and Isner will play against Auger-Aliassime and, this time, Shapovalov.
Isner was impeccable in his commitment to the 26-year-old world number 238th, to whom he placed 10 aces for a total of 29 winners.So he was only granted a break option that Greensboro managed to save. The 2.08 giant showed very few cracks in his game and left his team’s first victory in the hands of his teammate Fritz.
It was not easy for the 24-year-old tennis player and 23rd in the standings to beat an Auger-Aliassime (21st and 11th) who scored the first set in a disputed tiebreaker in which Taylor had a 5-1 lead and up to four points of set that wasted. In general, he was playing better than the Canadian and he showed it with great maturity in the next two rounds. “I think I’ve done well all the time,” he said after a match in which he only had to defend a break against and frustrated him. This is how the first victory for the United States in the short history of the ATP Cup was cooked.