Alexis Galarneau and Gabriel Diallo secured their first-ever Davis Cup victories, leading to a dominant 3-0 win over Italy. The match took place in Bologna, Italy at the Unipol Arena, where Team Canada presented by Sobeys showcased their skills. The Canadian team, comprised of Denis Shapovalov, Gabriel Diallo, Vasek Pospisil, Alexis Galarneau, and Kelsey Stevenson, currently shares the top spot in Group A with Chile.
Galarneau, ranked 200th in the world, kicked off the victory for Team Canada by defeating the 38th ranked player in the world, Lorenzo Sonego. In a thrilling match that lasted two hours and twenty-two minutes, Galarneau triumphed with a score of 7-6(8), 6-4. Despite facing a love-40 disadvantage in the opening game, Galarneau displayed tremendous resilience and managed to turn the tables. Throughout the match, he showcased his ability to perform well under pressure, saving two set points and four out of five break point opportunities. This marked Galarneau’s first Davis Cup win.
Following Galarneau’s triumph, his compatriot Diallo aimed to secure his own debut Davis Cup victory. Diallo faced off against Italy’s top-ranked player, Lorenzo Musetti, who holds the 18th spot in the world rankings. Ranked 158th in the world, Diallo drew inspiration from his recent ATP Tour-level victory in Toronto to defeat Musetti in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4. The 21-year-old Montreal native delivered an impressive performance, firing 10 aces and successfully defending against every break point.
In the doubles match, team captain Frank Dancevic chose Pospisil and Galarneau as the Canadian pair. Despite losing their previous Davis Cup match together in 2022, they managed to redeem themselves by defeating Matteo Arnaldi and Simone Bolelli in a closely contested match. Galarneau celebrated his first and second Davis Cup victories on the same day, while Pospisil secured his 28th win in Davis Cup play.
Following the doubles match, Dancevic commended the efforts of Pospisil and Galarneau, acknowledging their exceptional performance. He emphasized that the victory against Italy was a team effort in a challenging environment, especially with the Italian team enjoying the support of their home crowd.
Team Canada’s upcoming Group A match is against Sweden, scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m. ET. Canadian fans can watch the live broadcast on Sportsnet One and TVA Sports.
