Davis Cup has evolved into something the sport needs – a platform playing field where tennis fans get to see young, lower ranked, unknown players thrust into high stakes pro tennis, instead of the same players we have seen over the years.
The Canada vs Brazil tie in Vancouver hooked me. The marathon doubles match of Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos of Brazil vs Liam Draxl and Cleve Harper went all the way to the limit, late in the third set and it seemed every point was high tension, super level tennis punctuated by fierce emotional adrenaline. The match went on and on like this, gripping the observers to want to wait and see how it would end and who would be the hero to step up and shine. That hero ended up being Matos, who hit the big returns and shots at the end to win it for Brazil. Matos was the most accomplished player on court, having won a Grand Slam mixed title in Australia a few years ago.
ATP Liam Draxl was the hero of the tie. He won both of his singles ties – vs. two guys I never saw before (Joao Lucas Reis da Silva and Gustavo Heide) and but they were thrillers 63 63 and 63 64. ATP 41 Gabriel Diallo won and lost his two singles matches, both came down to third set tiebreakers.
The whole tie, won by Canada 3-2 and clinched by Draxl, was shown by Tennis Channel and more electric and entertaining than Laver Cup.
Another standout moment I was was Ecuador vs Australia. Ecuador is the lowest ranked team in the 2026 draw but they upset the perennial threat captained by Lleyton Hewitt on red clay in Quito. Alvaro Guillen Meza beat Rinky Hijikata in the key singles match. I had never seen Meza before, he is 23 years old ranked 195 but he is a dynamite player to watch, great fighter, emotional and clutch. He beat Hijikata and Hewitt 64 16 64. Then Andres Andrade (ATP 274) beat James Duckworth (88) 36 63 75.
Davis Cup is great again. It is a title trophy that for many players is more important and attainable than a Grand Slam title. Or someday, success achieved in Davis Cup can fuel the player’s confidence and belief to do much better in Grand Slams.
Davis Cup may be shunned now by the bigger stars of the ATP but it is giving the lower level players a chance to thrive and build their careers. And this weekend, in high energy patriotic environments, we got to see many unknown players elevate themselves into star players.
Maybe the heavily criticized and revamped Davis Cup format has accidentally and inadvertently evolved into something actually better and more helpful to the game than it was in it’s earlier form. I love Davis Cup again!
Davis Cup