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Canada sweeps Italy in opening tie of Davis Cup Finals group stage

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The title defence is officially on.

Team Canada presented by Sobeys have begun their journey at the 2023 Davis Cup Finals Group Stage as defending champions for the first time in the nation’s history, shocking the host Italians in their opening tie with two straight-set singles wins from Alexis Galarneau and Gabriel Diallo and a three-set doubles win for Galarneau and Vasek Pospisil.

This year’s squad features Denis Shapovalov, Vasek Pospisil, Diallo, Galarneau, Kelsey Stevenson and team captain Frank Dancevic. Canada’s group consists of Chile, Italy and Sweden.

Galarneau stuns Sonego in opening match

It was clear from the start that Galarneau and world No. 38 Lorenzo Sonego were in for an epic duel; the first game lasted just under eight minutes and Galarneau saved four of four break points to avoid going into a hole early. Sonego finally managed to break Galarneau to take a 4-3 lead, but Galarneau fired right back by breaking Sonego in the potentially decisive 10th game to tie things up at 5-5. In the eventual tiebreak, the pair traded well-fought points but Galarneau ultimately prevailed, winning 10-8 to take the first set.

It was much of the same story in the second set, as Galarneau and Sonego went back and forth with neither player giving up much. The turning point of the match came in the fifth game, when Galarneau broke Sonego to take a 3-2 lead. The Canadian didn’t squander the opportunity, holding on to win the second set 6-4 and the opening match of the tie.

This marked the first career Davis Cup victory for Galarneau, who is currently ranked No. 200 in the world. The 24-year-old won 70 per cent of his first serve points, making only 22 unforced errors to Sonego’s 34.

DIALLO CLINCHES CANADA’S WIN BY DEFEATING MUSETTI

Diallo was presented with a tough task in his 2023 Davis Cup debut, taking on world No. 18 Lorenzo Musetti. The 21-year-old Canadian, ranked no. 158 in the world, was clearly up to the task right out of the gate as he held his own against the tactical Musetti.

The pair traded services for the opening 10 games until Diallo finally found an edge and broke Musetti to take a 6-5 lead. In the decisive final game, Diallo made no mistakes as he fired off four straight points to win the opening set 7-5. Diallo recorded four aces and won 94 per cent of his first serve points in the first set.

Diallo kept his composure in the second set, as Musetti couldn’t find a way to solve him. Tied at three games apiece, Diallo once again managed to break Musetti in the seventh game to go up 4-3. It was smooth sailing from there, as Diallo went on to win the second set 6-4 and the match, clinching Canada’s victory over Italy in the process.

Diallo’s serve and limited mistakes were the strongest proponents of his nearly flawless play against Musetti. Overall, he dished 10 aces and won 94 per cent of his first serve points. He allowed zero break point opportunities as he defeated the top-ranked opponent of his career.

CANADIANS COMPLETE SWEEP AS GALARNEAU, POSPISIL WIN DOUBLES

The pressure was off Team Canada for their third match of the day, having already clinched the victory over Italy thanks to Diallo and Galarneau’s earlier wins. Still, Galarneau took to the court for his second match of the day alongside veteran Vasek Pospisil, as the pair looked to complete the sweep against Simone Bolelli and Matteo Arnaldi.

The Italians broke the Canadians early in the first set, but Pospisil and Galarneau responded by breaking right back to tie things up at two. The opening set eventually went to a tiebreak, where the Italians prevailed 7-4 for their first set of the day.

Pospisil and Galarneau managed to break first in the second set, jumping out to a 3-2 lead against Bolelli and Arnaldi. This time around, the Canadians went on to hold their serves to win the set 6-4 and force a third and final set.

The Canadians opened the third set with a break in the opening game, moving one step closer to completing the sweep. With Pospisil eventually serving for the match with the Canadians up 5-4, the Italians quickly went up 0-40. Pospisil and Galarneau stormed back to force a deuce, but the Italians held on to break and tie things up.

In the eventual tie-break, the Canadians jumped out to an early 4-1 lead and won the breaker 7-3, completing the sweep of Italy.

Next up, the Canadians will take on Sweden on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. ET.

 

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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