Canada wins at Davis Cup as Nestor retires
TORONTO • For a quarter of a century, Canada’s Davis Cup team revolved around doubles specialist Daniel Nestor.
But there was a changing of the guard Sunday as the 46-yearold Nestor officially retired from international competition, 18-yearold Felix Auger-Aliassime went through his rookie initiation, and Milos Raonic stepped into a leadership role.
Raonic dispatched Scott Griekspoor in three sets to give Canada a 3-1 win over the Netherlands in their Davis Cup world group qualification playoff.
Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., beat Griekspoor 7-6, 6-3, 6-4, for his second win of the five-match tie.
Nestor leaves big shoes to fill, but world No. 20 Raonic hopes to become Canada’s leader.
“I would like to,” Raonic said. “Daniel lightens things up. I definitely take a different approach than he does. I stay a little bit more quiet than he does.”
Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., won his singles rubber on Friday night, while Nestor, from Toronto, and Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil lost their doubles rubber on Saturday.
The tie earned Canada a seeded position in next year’s Davis Cup world group draw. The international men’s tennis competition will undergo a format change in 2019 and Canada’s next opponent is not yet known. Nestor was honoured in a pre-match ceremony where he was inducted into Canada’s Tennis Hall of Fame.
After Raonic’s victory sealed Canada’s win in the tie, the fifth match was cancelled.
Instead, alternate player Auger-Aliassime went through some light hazing, having to play a rally with Nestor in nothing but his underwear and shoes. Tennis Canada’s players, staff and lingering fans watched on as Nestor toyed with the Montrealer, forcing him to race all over the hard court at Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum.
“(My initiation) was tougher than Felix’s, that’s for sure,” said Raonic with a laugh.
He had to dance in front of fans after playing Colombia in 2010.