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Denis Shapovalov will lead Canada’s cost towards Serbia and Germany in Group A on the ATP Cup. (Getty Photographs)
The second version of the ATP Cup is beginning on Tuesday and options one of many strongest fields you’re more likely to see outdoors of the Grand Slams. It’s a crew occasion, with 12 nations vying for the highest prize.
Right here’s a take a look at the gamers who may have a significant impression on their squad’s probabilities in Group A, consisting of Canada, Serbia and Germany. (All photographs by Getty Photographs.)
CANADA: Denis Shapovalov
On the finish of 2019, Shapovalov was one of many hottest gamers on tour together with his first title; debut look in a Masters remaining; and a Davis Cup runner-up end, the furthest Canada had ever gotten in that competitors. That momentum carried over to the ATP Cup, when he received matches towards Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, then pushed Novak Djokovic to a third-set tiebreak.
Nonetheless, he wasn’t capable of preserve that type and had a roller-coaster of a season, one during which he was anticipated to settle comfortably into the Prime 10. Shapovalov has a harmful teammate in Milos Raonic, however the Canadian No. 1 should put his last-season hunch behind him for Canada to advance. Peter Polansky is a taking part in captain this 12 months and the crew is rounded out by world No. 178 Steve Diez.
SERBIA: Novak Djokovic
On the inaugural version of the ATP Cup final 12 months, then-world No. 2 Djokovic kicked off his try at a history-making season by main Serbia to the title. Alongside the way in which, Djokovic received all six of his singles matches, with 5 of these victories coming towards previous, current and future members of the world’s Prime 10.
Regardless that he has a strong squad with him once more this 12 months (Dusan Lajovic, Filip Krajinovic and Nikola Cacic), he nonetheless can’t falter as he’ll be counted for a near-guaranteed level in every battle. Djokovic might need to step in on the doubles courtroom, too, like he did final 12 months, profitable each of his matches.
GERMANY: Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies
Over the previous two years, the German duo has received its first 4 titles on the ATP Tour collectively. What’s most spectacular about that statistic is that two of these victories got here at Roland Garros, a feat that has established them as top-of-the-line groups within the sport proper now. Nonetheless, they’ve skilled bouts of inconsistency round their Roland Garros runs, together with a 1-2 document within the occasion final 12 months.
Germany, which options singles gamers Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lennard Struff, can be hard-pressed to brush the opposite nations of their group in singles, so the contests may come all the way down to Krawietz and Mies, the highest-ranked doubles crew on the ATP Cup.
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