Canada draws Serbia and Spain in Davis Cup Finals’ group stage

Canada’s men’s tennis team has been drawn into a group with powerhouses Spain and Serbia for the coming Davis Cup Finals.

Canada’s group, which also includes South Korea, will play a round-robin tournament Sept. 14-18 in Valencia, Spain.

Spain has won six Davis Cup titles, the last coming in 2019 when a team led by Rafael Nadal beat a Canadian squad featuring Denis Shapovalov, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Vasek Pospisil in the final.

The two countries renewed their international rivalry when Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov led Canada to a win over Spain, playing without Nadal, at the ATP Cup in January.

Serbia, which boasts world No. 1 Novak Djokovic among its ranks, won the Davis Cup in 2010 and was runner-up in 2013.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the final phase of the tournament Nov. 21-27 in Malaga, Spain.

Canada, ranked No. 6 in the world, was granted a wild-card berth into the finals as the highest-ranked nation to lose in the 2022 qualifiers. A Canadian team missing its top players lost 4-0 to the Netherlands in a qualifier in march.

“It is with great pride that we will be participating in the Davis Cup Finals for the third consecutive year,” Canada captain Frank Dancevic said in a release.

“Although we will face tough opponents, we know that any country can make it to the top. Our players will be ready and will arrive in Valencia with a lot of energy.”