(Reuters) – 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.
In the day’s other ties last year’s runners-up Australia, who are without injured top player Alex De Minaur, are up against France in Valencia in Group B while the Netherlands face Belgium in Bologna in Group A.
Reigning champions Italy begin their quest in Group A on Wednesday against Brazil.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)
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