Germany moved past Canada 2-0 in a thrilling quarter final tie to advance to the semifinal in the Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga. The German team avenged their 2022 defeat against Canada, who went on to win their first Davis Cup title.
Daniel Altmeier overcame Gabriel Diallo 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in 75 minutes to give Germany a 1-0 lead over Canada after a tight match in just under two hours.
Altmeier earned the first break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead, but Diallo broke straight back in the next game to draw level to 2-2. Altmeier saved three break points to hold serve after four deuces. Diallo fended off six break points in a ten-deuce ninth game. Altmeier earned three mini-breaks to race out to a 5-0 lead. Diallo pulled back two of the three breaks and saved a set point at 5-6, but Altmeier closed out the tie-break with his fourth mini-break.
Altmeier saved two break points to hold serve at deuce in the first game of the second set. Both players went on serve until the 10th game when Altmeier battled back from 15-40 down to break on his first match point.
“Playing in the finals, I have not played Davis Cup the whole year. I am proud to help the team get the first victory. The mental side is crucial. It’s a huge motivation for me. My fighting spirit helped me helped me to win the first set and then I was getting into a better rhythm”, said Altmeier.
World number 43 Jan Lennard Struff came back from one set down to beat Denis Shapovalov 4-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5) in 2 hours and 7 minutes earning the decisive point for Germany.
Both players went on serve until the fifth game when Shapovalov saved two break points to hold serve after three deuces to take a 3-2 lead. Shapovalov fended off four break points to hold on his serve in the eighth game. Struff saved a break point in the ninth game before breaking serve at 30 in the 10th game to close out the first set 6-4.
Struff fended off two break points in the second game of the second set. Both players went on serve until the 11th game when Struff earned a crucial break to take a 6-5 lead before serving out on his second set point.
Struff broke serve in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Shapovalov broke back in the 10th game to draw level to 5-5, as Struff was serving for the match at 5-4. The tie-break went on serve until the ninth point when Struff earned the first mini-break to take a 5-4 lead. Shapovalov pulled back on serve to draw level to 5-5 but Struff earned a second mini-break to win the tie-break 7-5. The German team has reached the first Davis Cup semifinal since 2021.
Shapovalov hit 27 aces and 24 winners but he made 13 double faults.
“Today I think both players deserved to win. Denis was playing amazing, coming out firing. It was a very tough match. He was serving so well. It was incredible. Second serves at 180 km/h. It was tough to return. The court is very fast. I had my chance in the third set. I broke him and served for the match. I did not play the best game, but he was there and hit some winners. I went up 4-3 and then he hit a forehand winner. It was an incredible match. I am just happy to get over the line at the line”, said Struff.
Germany set up an all-European semifinal clash against the Netherlands, who knocked out Spain in the quarter final ending Rafael Nadal’s career.
“It will be an amazing. It’s a big step for us to go from the quarter finals to the semifinals. We want to win and go to the finals now. The Netherlands played an amazing tie. We expect tough opposition. We know the Germans and the Dutch have a little rivalry. The Dutch have amazing fans, so I am looking forward to it”, said Struff.
