Pospisil’s performance will be key
Local tennis player gearing up for big challenge against Japan at Davis Cup
Vasek Pospisil might have wished for more matches ahead of Canada’s Davis Cup tie against Japan next weekend, but the Vancouverite couldn’t have asked for much better competition.
Pospisil, 24, is coming off secondround exits in Rotterdam and Marseille, and a first-round loss in Dubai on Tuesday.
If that’s all you looked at, you’d get the impression Pospisil’s arrived home for this World Group clash in a funk, yet it’s quite the opposite.
He went down to world No. 3 Andy Murray, top-20 Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in February.
And Pospisil looked pretty good in defeat, too. All the sets were tight, although the underdog couldn’t steal one.
The one glaring statistical pattern in those three losses is that Pospisil won just 28 per cent and 33 per cent of points on his second serve.
Top players tend to feast on those opportunities.
“I feel like I’m playing really well right now,” Pospisil said. “I’m improving every week and I’m a better tennis player every time I step on the court.
“I’ve had a good start to the year, some solid results but not going too deep. I just feel like with the way I’m able to play now, and the confidence I have, I’m just waiting for a bit of a breakthrough.”
Under coach Frederic Fontang, the former French pro, Pospisil’s been working for months now on being more aggressive, being more aware of opportunities in each point to step up and dictate.
His forehand and serve are his big weapons and he’s also a great volleyer from all his doubles play — although it’s tougher to get to the net these days.
“Tennis is played like ping pong,” said Pospisil, who won the 2014 Wimbledon doubles title with American Jack Sock. “It’s very fast now and if you don’t play aggressive it’s difficult to break through.
“With my height and physical qualities, I need to be aggressive, even in the big points.”
The Vernon-born right-hander said he isn’t concerned about a ranking that’s dropped from a career-best No. 25 in early 2014 to No. 63.
A troublesome back injury got the best of him for much of last season. By April, he had numbness and shooting pain down his leg in Bucharest and it took a while to pinpoint the root issues.
A new exercise routine has helped tremendously.
“I’m feeling the best I’ve felt in a really long time,” said Pospisil, who reached the third round of the Australian Open in January.
“I don’t have any doubts that I belong in the top 30 and I can make it into the top 20 — and I think I can do that this year.
“The main thing is to be patient. Hard work always pays off.”
He’s experimented with some different recovery techniques, too. After his first-round match in Marseille — a three-set win over Robin Haase — went late, Pospisil popped into a cold chamber that goes down to minus-110 Celsius for three minutes. It’s called cryotherapy.
“The second and third minutes are brutal,” Pospisil said.
“Your arms are crusty and you really feel like you’re freezing.”
He hopes to heat things up in front of the rabid fans at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, where Canada beat Spain and Italy during that memorable 2013 run.
This is one of those rare ties for Canada where two singles wins for Milos Raonic doesn’t feel automatic.
Japan’s answer to the big-serving world No. 6 is world No. 5 Kei Nishikori, a wonderful player who also happens to be 4-2 lifetime against Canada’s top gun — although Raonic took their most recent meeting, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) in Brisbane in January.
Still, Pospisil’s performance could be Canada’s key to advancing. Japan’s No. 2 singles player is Go Soeda, ranked 83rd. Pospisil’s never played Nishikori or Soeda on tour, although recent tests against Murray and Djokovic should have him ready to face a top opponent in Nishikori.
“I like our chances,” said Pospisil, who along with Raonic missed Canada’s 4-1 loss to Japan last February. “On paper, we have the better team, but that doesn’t mean much at Davis Cup — everyone knows that, especially when they have a top-10 player.
“But playing on a home court is an immediate advantage and we’re going in with the mentality that we’re going to win and there’s no other option.”
The Canadians, who reached the World Group semifinals in 2013, reclaimed their place in the World Group for 2015 with a 3-2 playoff win over Colombia in Halifax in September. Pospisil won his singles match in that tie — he’s 5-7 lifetime in Davis Cup — but he lost the doubles with Daniel Nestor, who is 42 and remarkably entering his 23rd year of Davis Cup play.
“He’s priceless for the team,” said Pospisil, “and he’s probably my best friend on the tour, too.”
The winner of this tie will advance to the quarterfinals against either Switzerland or Belgium. Both would be away ties for Canada.