Denis Shapovalov is set to lead Canada’s formidable five-player squad in their opening Davis Cup qualifier against Hungary, a lineup that notably excludes singles sensation Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Shapovalov, currently ranked No. 58 in the world and hailing from Richmond Hill, Ontario, joins forces with Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo, Alexis Galarneau from Laval, Quebec, Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ontario, and Vasek Pospisil, who represents Vernon, British Columbia.
The decisive matchup will take place at IGA Stadium on February 1-2, with the winning team earning a coveted spot in the second round of qualifiers this September. The team that falls short will be relegated to World Group 1 status.
“We are thrilled to return to Montreal with such a strong roster for this year’s Davis Cup qualifiers,” remarked Canadian captain Frank Dancevic in a statement on Monday. “We acknowledge the talent that Hungary brings to the court, but we’re confident our team will deliver and bring us closer to the Davis Cup Final 8.”
Having claimed the Davis Cup title in 2022, Canada has exited the men’s team competition in the quarterfinal rounds for the past two years.
Auger-Aliassime, Canada’s highest-ranked player at No. 29, opted to sit out the roster ahead of last fall’s Davis Cup quarterfinals, prioritizing recovery and humanitarian efforts.
He is not participating in the Hungary qualifier as he intends to compete in a series of indoor tournaments across Europe to secure crucial ranking points, according to a statement from Tennis Canada.
Auger-Aliassime, who played a pivotal role in securing Canada’s lone Davis Cup title, recently earned a mixed doubles bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and represented the country at the United Cup last month.
“We can only envision how challenging this choice must have been for him, and we wish him all the best in his 2025 season. We hope to count on his contributions for future Davis Cup ties,” the organization expressed.
After dealing with a back injury last season, Auger-Aliassime has a first-round bye in the Adelaide International, a preparatory event leading up to the Australian Open.
Currently, Canada ranks third in the Davis Cup standings, trailing behind Italy and Australia, while Hungary sits at No. 22 following their victory against Egypt in World Group 1 play.
Montreal hosted the first round last February, where Canada triumphed over South Korea with a score of 3-1. Impressively, Canada has won nine of its last ten matches played on home soil.
The competition will feature two singles matches on the indoor hard court of the 2,000-seat venue on February 1, followed by a doubles match and two more singles matches on February 2.
Shapovalov is poised to make his 12th appearance in the Davis Cup, while Diallo, ranked 87th, secures his eighth call-up to the Canadian squad.
Galarneau, currently ranked 200th in singles, sits 46 spots ahead of Draxl, who is making his mark as well. Pospisil, a former U.S. Open doubles champion in 2014, has been mostly competing on the Challenger circuit over the past season.
Hungary’s leading singles player, Fabian Marozsan, is ranked 57th, while Marton Fucsovics occupies the 100th position.
This will mark the inaugural Davis Cup clash between Hungary and Canada.
The winners of the second-round qualifiers will join host Italy in the prestigious 2025 Final 8 this November, following Italy’s victorious run to their second consecutive Davis Cup title last year with a triumph over the Netherlands.
