By Canadian Press

Canada takes early 2-0 Davis Cup lead over Chile with singles wins

Sep 16, 2016 | 2:15 PM

HALIFAX — Canada took the first two games of the Davis Cup playoff tie on Friday after a pair of hard-fought matches against a less experienced Chilean team.

Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil, ranked No. 120, defeated Nicolas Jarry in four sets in evening play, following an earlier victory by Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont.

Pospisil downed Jarry, ranked No. 423 in the world, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-3. Dancevic beat Christian Garin 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4 in the opening singles match at Scotiabank Centre.

Pospisil said he was pleased with his play overall at he easily held his services games, but frustrated that he lost the second set despite feeling that he had dominated much of the match.

“I really embraced the challenge after that and I think I just really got into it mentally, just loving the fight and trying to compete,” he said after the match that ran two hours 37 minutes.

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“I was creating opportunities and he was coming up with good tennis.”

Jarry offered up big serves that exceeded 200 km/h and line drives that left Pospisil straining to make returns, but said the hard courts proved challenging.

“This is just my fourth match on this type of surface and I did a great match against a great opponent,” Jarry said. 

Dancevic, who came in ranked No. 236 in the world while Garin was at No. 260, said he also had to regain his focus after starting out strong and watching his young opponent gain momentum as the match wore on.

After winning the first set, Dancevic led 5-3 in the second. Garin held serve to make it 5-4, then broke Dancevic to tie the match 5-5.

In the tie-breaker, Dancevic led 5-1 but Garin won the next six points to tie the match.

“I had it in my hands and I just let it slip away,” Dancevic said afterwards, adding that a break and encouragement from team captain Martin Laurendeau helped him get back on track for the third set.

“I got a little nervous . . . battling some demons there.”

Garin, too, said he had to adjust to the unfamiliar hard court.

“When he served, he won a lot of free points,” the 20-year-old said of Dancevic, who produced four aces in one set. “It was difficult for me on this surface.”

Both Pospisil and Dancevic said playing to the home crowd and on a surface that favoured them had a big impact on their play. Throughout the matches, a small but boisterous audience cheered on the Canadians, often having to be told by officials to quiet down.

“It’s huge,” Dancevic said. “I thought the home crowd was amazing…they got behind me the whole match and they got me through some tough moments.”

Pospisil and Toronto’s Adil Shamasdin will take on Jarry and Hans Podlipnik-Castillo in doubles Saturday. On Sunday, Pospisil faces Garin in reverse singles before Dancevic takes on Jarry.

Canada is minus Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., and Toronto’s Daniel Nestor, who are both injured. Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., rounds out the Canadian squad.

Canada is 12th in the Davis Cup rankings while Chile sits at No. 23. The two countries have split their eight previous Davis Cup meetings. The winner of the best-of-five tie will secure a spot in the elite 16-team World Group for 2017.

Alison Auld, The Canadian Press