Host Australia defeats Canada at ATP Cup
BRISBANE AUSTRALIA Host Australia became the first team to qualify for the Final Eight of the ATP Cup on Sunday.
The Aussies defeated Canada 3-0 in Brisbane and later clinched the top spot in Group F when Germany held off Greece, 2-1.
Alex de Minaur rallied from a set down to defeat Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-2 in a battle of 20-year-olds.
That followed a 6-4, 6-2 win by countryman John Millman, filling in for the injured Nick Kyrgios over Félix Auger-aliassime. Chris Guccione and John Peers finished the sweep with a 3-6, 7-6 (3), 10-8 win against Auger-aliassime and Adil Shamasdin.
“I managed to turn things around, get back into a positive mindset, get my energy back,” said de Minaur, who trailed 2-4 in the second set before winning six straight games.
The quarter-finals of the inaugural 24-team event begin Thursday in Sydney, with the six group winners and the top two second-place teams advancing.
In other group action Sunday, Italy defeated Norway 2-1 and Russia beat the United States 2-1 in Group D play in Perth.
In Sydney, Bulgaria defeated Moldova 2-1 and Great Britain took down Belgium by the same score.
The U.S., which lost to Norway on Friday, is the only winless team in Group D.
Russia (Group D) and Bulgaria (Group C) lead their respective groups at 2-0.
Today’s matches:
Brisbane: South Africa vs. Chile; Serbia vs. France
Perth: Japan vs. Georgia; Spain vs. Uruguay
Sydney: Croatia vs. Poland; Austria vs. Argentina