Leading the nation

Raonic, Shapovalov set to kick off Davis Cup for Canada

TORONTO Milos Raonic was not going to miss another Davis Cup tie. Not if he could help it.

The Canadian will play in his first Davis Cup tie since 2015 when he takes the court against Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands on Friday afternoon. He’ll be followed on to the court by Canada’s Denis Shapovalov and Robin Haase, who will play in the tie’s second rubber.

This tennis season has been hard on Raonic physically. He withdrew from the Monte Carlo Masters with a right-knee injury in April, then he had issues with the same leg in the Wimbledon quarterfinals as he lost to American John Isner. Most recently, he needed treatment on his back during his Round of 16 loss to Isner at the U.S. Open on Sept. 4.

Raonic re-committed to Tennis Canada that he would be playing against the Netherlands in Toronto as quickly as he could after the back issues flared up against Isner.

“As soon as I got cleared,” said Raonic on confirming his Davis Cup participation. “Pretty much the following 48 hours after the match with Isner, that everything was OK.”

Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., is the top-ranked Canadian on the ATP Tour, rising up to No. 20 worldwide after his performance at the U.S. Open. He’s missed every Davis Cup since 2015’s 3-2 win over Japan in Vancouver due to injury and his inclusion on the team has helped make it what many have touted as Canada’s best-ever Davis Cup entry.

Shapovalov, a 19-year-old phenom from Richmond Hill, Ont., is 34th in the ATP Tour’s singles rankings. Toronto’s Daniel Nestor and Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil will team up on Saturday in the doubles rubber, facing Matwe Middelkoop and Jean-Julien Rojer.