Canadian tennis stars Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov were the first team to win a tie at the brand-new ATP Cup in Australia in Brisbane.
The tournament, which functions similarly to the Davis Cup, is designed to give players a new way to prepare for February's Australian Open in the format of a 10-day long tournament featuring teams from 24 nations.
World No. 21 Auger-Aliassime and No. 15 Shapovalov — who were part of Team Canada's loss to Spain at the Davis Cup Final — hit the court against Greece on the opening day of the tournament for two singles matches and one doubles match against Michail Pervolarakis and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Both Canadians proved victorious in their singles matches: Auger-Aliassime defeated Pervolarakis 6-1, 6-3 and Shapovalov edged out Tsitsipas in a closer match, 7-6(6), 7-6(4).
The two wins — with the doubles match against Greece still to come — give Canada a 2-0 start to the tournament.
Here's how the action played out for Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov against Greece:
Felix Auger-Aliassime defeats Michail Pervolarakis, 6-1, 6-3
Auger-Aliassime dominated the tie's first match by delivering five aces to Pervolarakis' one and converting four out of 10 break points to cruise to victory in just over one hour.
A moment in time ⏰
— ATPCup (@ATPCup) January 3, 2020
🇨🇦 #TeamCanada captures the first victory in #ATPCup history behind Felix Auger-Aliassime’s stellar 6-1 6-3 performance. pic.twitter.com/lpbMMYND1u
“Truly feels good to be back on the court,” Auger-Aliassime said via the ATP Tour. “I didn't know the opponent, also, so that's a factor that is always challenging when you're a player, and so I tried to focus on what I had to do. But I was happy that overall in the match I had a great first set, couldn't ask any better, and I was able to be solid in the second. So overall very happy to be back.”
Denis Shapovalov defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas, 7-6(6), 7-6(4)
Shapovalov picked up exactly where he left off in 2019 by defeating world No. 6 talent Tsitsipas by coming in clutch after the second set tie break. Shapovalov won four of five points after 3-3 in that set, including a match point when his opponent double faulted.
Bench is 🆙 for 🇨🇦 #TeamCanada#GRECAN | #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/LzR5FfunCb
— ATPCup (@ATPCup) January 3, 2020
Shapovalov, who won his first ATP title in October 2019, powered Canada to its first win in the tournament, and the tournament's first win period, with that singles win against the higher-ranked Tsitsipas.
Auger-Aliassime/Shapovalov def. Pervolarakis/P. Tsitsipas, 6-2, 6-3
Even after the competition had been clinched, the Canadians continued to roll.
In the doubles match, Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov teamed up once again to take down Pervolarakis and Petros Tsitsipas (Stefanos Tsitsipas' younger brother) in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, giving them an overall sweep in the match, 3-0.