Tennis Canada – Frank Dancevic and Vasek Pospisil both win to put Canada one match away from victory

Halifax, September 16, 2016 – Canada is now just one triumph away from ousting Chile in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group play-offs after Frank Dancevic (Niagara Falls, Ont.) and Vasek Pospisil (Vancouver) both captured victories on Friday. Dancevic opened the tie, being held at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, with a 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4 victory over Christian Garin before Pospisil defeated Nicolas Jarry 6-1, 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-3 to give Canada its best-case result on the first day of play.   
 
Dancevic started well, taking the first set in just 31 minutes, and looked to be on his way to a simple two-set lead. However, despite serving for the second set twice and leading 5-1 in the tiebreaker, the veteran Canuck let 20-year-old Garin back into the match. After re-grouping, Dancevic was able to quickly re-assert his lead by reeling off five straight games. He was the stronger player from that point on, showing his greater experience in both Davis Cup play and on a fast indoor hard court surface.
 
“It’s always good getting through the first match and getting a point ahead; it puts a lot of pressure on the other team,” Dancevic said. “Also me being the No. 2 player and beating their No. 1, it’s an important win because it gives us a little bit of an advantage. Having said that, Davis Cup is a long weekend and we just need to stay focused on the task ahead.”
 
Pospisil followed suit, as he was tested by his opponent but ultimately came out on top over a lower-ranked player. A dominant 23-minute first set saw Pospisil live up to his No. 1 status for Canada in this tie. But Jarry didn’t go away, and played a high level to earn his only break of the match at 6-5 to even the duel up at one set apiece. Pospisil served well through the whole contest though, winning 81 per cent of his points on serve, and he finally wrested control in the tiebreaker of a very close set. With a late break in the fourth set, Pospisil had the win in his hands.
 
“I thought he played a good match, but I also thought I played a good one,” Pospisil said. “I think he only had one opportunity on my service game the whole match, and he played it well and I got broken. So I felt like I had the edge from start to finish but he was playing at a good level so it was important for me to stay calm and fight for every point.”
 
Canada now needs to win just one more match out of the final three to secure its spot in the World Group for 2017. The country, who is the higher-ranked team in this tie at No. 12 to Chile’s No. 23, is aiming to earn its place in the highest level of Davis Cup competition for the sixth straight year. Making the semifinals in 2013 and quarter-finals in 2015, Canada hasn’t been relegated to the zonal groups since 2011. The loser of this tie will play in Americas Zone Group I next year.
 
Action will resume on Saturday at 2 p.m. AT with the doubles duel, scheduled to pit Pospisil and Adil Shamasdin (Pickering, Ont.) against Chile’s Hans Podlipnik-Castillo and Jarry. The team captains, Canadian Martin Laurendeau and Chile’s Nicolas Massu, have until one hour before the match to change their nominations. The remaining two singles matches will be on Sunday starting at 1 p.m. AT. All matches will be best-of-five sets, with the exception of Sunday’s matches if the tie has already been decided.
 
Tickets are still available for as low as $16.50 and can be purchased online at www.ticketatlantic.com, at the Ticket Atlantic Box Office or charge by phone by calling 902-451-1221 or toll free 1-877-451-1221.
 
The matches will be broadcast on Sportsnet 360 and TVA Sports. Please check local listings for the full schedule.
 
**DAVIS CUP WORLD GROUP SEMIFINALS AND PLAY-OFFS NOTES**
 
About Davis Cup
Davis Cup by BNP Paribas is the World Cup of Tennis. It is the largest annual international team competition in sport, with 135 teams entered in 2016. The competition is 116 years old having been founded in 1900. The title sponsor is BNP Paribas, the Official Bank of Davis Cup. International sponsors are Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Adecco (Official HR Sponsor) and Betway (Official Betting Sponsor). beIN SPORTS is the Official Global Media Rights Partner. Follow all the action onwww.daviscup.com, www.copadavis.com, www.twitter.com/daviscup, 
www.facebook.com/DavisCupTennis, www.Weibo.com/daviscupofficial and www.DavisCup.tv.  

About Tennis Canada
Founded in 1890, Tennis Canada is a non-profit, national sport association with a mission to lead the growth of tennis in Canada and a vision to become a world-leading tennis nation. We value teamwork, passion, integrity, innovation and excellence. Tennis Canada owns and operates the premier Rogers Cup presented by National Bank WTA and ATP World Tour events, 10 professional ITF-sanctioned events and financially supports 12 other professional tournaments in Canada. Tennis Canada operates national junior training centres/programs in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary. 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 website at www.tenniscanada.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Media Contacts (Toronto):
Sarah Grossman, National Manager, Communications and Media Relations, Professional Tennis
       416-650-7922, or sgrossman@tenniscanada.com
Nicole Watts, Manager, Communications
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Media Contacts (Montréal):
Valerie Tetreault, Regional Manager, Communications and Media Relations
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Justine Poirier, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations
         514-273-1515 ext. 6291, jpoirier@tenniscanada.com