Germany secured a 2-0 victory over Canada on Wednesday, advancing to the Davis Cup semi-finals. The three-time champions, who last won the title in 1993, will now face the Netherlands in the final four. The Dutch team previously eliminated Spain, marking the end of Rafael Nadal’s illustrious 23-year career.
Daniel Altmaier defeated Gabriel Diallo 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 in the opening singles match, giving Germany an early lead. Jan-Lennard Struff clinched the tie with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) victory over Denis Shapovalov, avenging Germany’s 2022 quarter-final loss to eventual champions Canada.
Struff praised Shapovalov’s strong serve and aggressive style. “Shapa was firing serves in, changing directions a lot. The court was fast, but I managed to stay in the game and the set,” Struff said. “We’re in the semis now and very happy.”
Shapovalov, ranked 56th, started strong, winning the first set with a forehand winner and a decisive break in the 10th game. However, Struff, world number 43, stayed resilient, breaking Shapovalov in the second set’s 11th game and forcing a third.
In the final set, Shapovalov’s frustration boiled over, leading to errors, including his 13th double fault, which handed Struff the match.
Earlier, Altmaier took control against Diallo, building a 5-0 lead in the first-set tie-break. He later broke Diallo in the final game of the second set to secure the win. “The nerves were high,” Altmaier admitted. “I was nervous before the match, but communicating openly with my captain helped me stay focused.”
Diallo expressed disappointment, saying, “I wish I could have brought my team to the point. They counted on me, and I didn’t deliver.”
Germany now looks forward to its semi-final clash against the Netherlands, where it will seek its first Davis Cup title in three decades.
