LONDON: Canada began their Davis Cup Finals campaign in confident fashion as wins for Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime assured them of victory in their opening Group D tie against Argentina in Manchester on Tuesday.
Left-hander Shapovalov may have slipped down the rankings but showed shades of his best form as he beat 31st-ranked Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-3.
Auger-Aliassime was then equally assured in a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Sebastian Baez to put Canada 2-0 ahead with a doubles rubber still to be played.
Earlier Germany posted a 3-0 victory over Slovakia in Zhuhai, China which is hosting the Group C matches.
Maximilian Marterer beat Lukas Klein 6-4 7-5 before Yannick Hanfmann beat Jozef Kovalik 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3). Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz then completed the job with a doubles victory.
Sixteen nations are competing in four groups in Manchester, Bologna, Valencia and Zhuhai with the top two from each group moving through to the Davis Cup Final 8 Knockout Stage which is being held in Malaga, Spain in November.
Brandon Nakashima and Reilly Opelka won their singles matches to give the United States an unassailable 2-0 lead over Chile in the group stage of the Davis Cup Finals at Zhuhai, China.
Reigning champions Italy begin their quest in Group A against Brazil. Agencies
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