Canada falls to Japan in Davis Cup
Posted February 1, 2014 9:27 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TOKYO, JAPAN (NEWS1130) – Frank Dancevic, of Niagra Falls, Ont., was forced to retire with an abdominal injury after falling behind World No. 18 Kei Nishikori 6-2, 1-0, as Japan eliminated Canada from the 2014 Davis Cup.
The nations were meeting in the elite World Group, which Canada reached the semifinals of for the first time in 2013. The Canadians came into the first round tie shorthanded due to injuries to top 25 players Milos Raonic (ankle) and Vasek Pospisil (back).
Canada entered the final day of the tie trailing 2-1 after Japan won the doubles match in four sets on Saturday.
Canada needed a win from Dancevic and for Peter Polansky to beat Go Soeda in order to move on.
Dancevic admitted that playing in the doubles match forced him to use muscles he wasn’t used to using, and that he had extra soreness heading into the match with Nishikori.
After dropping a couple of breaks in the first set to lose 6-2, Dancevic was broken by Nishikori in the first game of the second set, and then retired following a short medical timeout.
With the win, Japan advances to the quarterfinals of the World Group for the first time in its history.
Canada will now need to win a World Group playoff in September to get back into the elite group for the 2015 tournament.
