Darren Calabrese
Darren Calabrese

Davis Cup: A perfect record secures Canada a 2017 World Group spot

Mission accomplished. Canada secured a spot in next year’s Davis Cup World Group, after defeating Chile with a perfect series in Halifax.

Canada will remain in the elite 16 next season, thanks to Frank Dancevic, Vasek Pospisil, Adil Shamasdin and Denis Shapovalov. The team defeated Chile 5-0, securing Canada a 2017 World Group positon after the first two days.

Dancevic and Pospisil both won their opening singles matches on Friday. Dancevic was the first player to represent Canada on the hard court, winning 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4 against Christina Garin.

Next, up was two-time Olympian Pospisil. The Canadian took a commanding lead in the first set defeating Nicholas Jarry 6-1. However, the second didn’t go as smoothly for Vasek, who lost the round 5-7. Despite a rough second set the Canada came back to the final two 7-6 (2) and 6-3.

Related: Canada looks to remain among the world’s elite

Heading into Saturday’s doubles match, Canada was one win away from securing its sixth straight World Group appearance. Pospisil and Shamasdin did not disappoint, winning in straight sets – 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (6) – against Hans Podlipnik-Castillo and Jarry.

Related: Shapovalov pulls off big upset in Toronto

With their Davis cup mission accomplished, Shapovalov – the junior Wimbledon champion – was put in for Pospisil on Sunday. The 17-year-old made his Davis Cup debut one to remember, beating Garin 7-6(5), 6-4.

Dancevic made it a perfect Davis Cup showing on Canadian soil, beating Gonzalo Lama 6-4, 6-4 in the final tie of the competition.