shows all the matches in Finland and the final match of the tennis Davis Cup final tournament from Malaga. Finland’s semifinal is today, Friday at 5 p.m.
On Tuesday, Finland defeated the reigning Davis Cup champion Canada with a great performance and marched into the top four of the tournament.
Even though the champion team is out of the game, the opposition doesn’t get any easier. In the semifinals, Finland will face the multiple Davis Cup champion Australia, who came from a loss against the Czech Republic in their own quarterfinal to win the match 2–1.
Jordan Thompson bowed out in the opening game To Tomas Machac in two sets, but Australia’s No. 1 player Alex de Minaur leveled the match at 1–1 by rising from a set loss to a 2–1 win Jiri from Lehecka.
The match was thus decided in a doubles game, where Max Purcell and Matthew Ebden beat the Czech Republic Jiri Leheckan and Adam Pavlasek in chapters 6–4, 7–5.
Will Hewitt come full circle?
Australia, one of the great countries in tennis history, has won the Davis Cup 28 times, which is the second most after the United States, which celebrated 32 times.
However, 20 years have passed since the last victory. In 2003, Australia advanced to the championship with their star player by Lleyton Hewitt under. Now Hewitt serves as Australia’s captain. Last year, the Australians reached the final, but lost to Canada.
– A year ago, we tasted success and came close to winning. It brought us closer and drives us to develop, so that we have an even better chance this year, De Minaur said before the Malaga finals.
– All the guys in our team raise their level when they play for their country. It’s about togetherness and camaraderie. I’m sure they will carry us far this week, Hewitt assessed.
Tough first fist
On Friday, Finland will face a tougher group than their quarter-final opponent, Canada. The Canadians lacked a number one fist in their ranks Félix Auger-Aliassime (ATP-29), and back pain Vasek Pospisil was in trouble in doubles.
Australia’s top player Alex de Minaur (ATP-12) is ranked better than Auger-Aliassime in the world singles rankings. Finland’s number one player, wrestling with a shoulder injury Emil Ruusuvuoriis ranked 68th.
De Minaur, who has risen to the ranks of the world’s top players in recent years, is fast and has strong running power. Daniil Medvededin (ATP-3) Holger Runen (ATP-8).
– The matches will always be tough, and in them you will find yourself in dark places. I’ve had several matches like this in my career. It’s part of my identity, I won’t give up and I’ll fight until the end, De Minaur said after defeating Lehecka after a three-set twist on Wednesday.
Rock-hard millionaires
Also Jordan Thompson (ATP-55), Max Purcell (ATP-45) and Alexei Popyrin (ATP-40) are all ranked higher than Finns.
Even in the doubles, Australia has some tough names to throw on the court. Max Purcell and Matthew Ebden are the Wimbledon men’s doubles champions for 2022. The duo won all three of their matches at the qualifying tournament in September without losing a single set.
Against the Czechs, Purcell and Ebden didn’t give any break points and wrapped up the match in one hour and 12 minutes.
There are also differences in the amount of money earned in the career. The five Australians have collected a total of almost 26 million, while the Finns have collected around 4.4 million.
Among the Finns, only the top names Ruusuvuori and Harri Heliövaara. De Minaur has earned the most prize money, almost ten million. Differential Patrick Kaukovaltan 7,000 euros is huge. Kaukovalta’s tie tests are not even a fraction of De Minaur’s merits.
Finnish seams
Having secured their place in the semifinals on Tuesday, Finland will have a day more recovery time for the match than Australia. Urheilu’s reporter and tennis commentator Sakari Lundin according to this, the benefit is minimal, because Australia also has one rest day.
The final match really depends on whether Emil Ruusuvuori can be fit to play.
– That’s a really big question. Even if he gets back on his feet, the question is how fit he is at full weight, says Lund.
As Finland’s number one player, Ruusuvuori would fight Canada’s number one player De Minaur, when Otto Virtanen would avoid almost certain defeat at the hands of Minauri and face Canada’s number two.
– That would also be a difficult match, but perhaps possible.
There has even been thought about the possibility that Ruusuvuori should be put on the field, even if he has to give up, so that Virtanen, who is basking in the high Davis Cup mood, would have an easier opponent and be able to fight for victory.
The doubles, which is played after the singles, won’t make it any easier for the Finns, as Ebden and Purcell will probably face each other.
– Yes, Finland has a really tough place here, and it will get tougher if Ruusuvuori is not fixed. But the team has shown that it can do miracles, Lund reflects.
shows all the matches in Finland and the final match of the tennis Davis Cup final tournament from Malaga. Finland’s semifinal is on Friday at 5 p.m.