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Led by phenom Félix Auger-Aliassime, Canada reaches junior Davis Cup final in Madrid

Led by phenom Félix Auger-Aliassime, Canada reaches junior Davis Cup final in Madrid

The Canadian junior Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams were both among the favourites to take the crowns this week, at the Caja Magica in Madrid, Spain.

The No. 1 seeded boys, led by 15-year-old Félix Auger-Aliassime and 16-year-old Denis Shapovalov, did their part after sweeping the singles rubbers against No. 4 seed Russia in the semi-finals on Friday.

“Everyone on the team did great work to achieve this goal. Now we are one step closer, so it’s a good thing. Denis and I had two great matches today so I think the whole team is proud. We’re going to rest a bit tomorrow and put in the work to be ready for Sunday," Félix Auger-Aliassime said on the Tennis Canada website.

The girls, seeded No. 4, lost a tough one in the deciding doubles to the top-seeded Czech Republic and had their run stopped in the semi-finals.

Shapovalov, playing No. 2 singles, dispatched Alen Avidzba 6-4, 6-3 in just over an hour to give Canada its first point. Auger-Aliassime, playing No. 1, clinched it with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Artem Dubrivnyy.

Auger-Aliassime got the big award of the day on the boys' side.

On the girls' side, No. 2 Bianca Andreescu defeated Monica Kilnarova 6-2, 6-4 6-3. But No. 1 Charlotte Robillard-Millette was easily defeated by Czech No. 1 (and world No. 2) Marketa Voudrousova, 6-0, 6-4 in less than an hour.

The Canadian No. 1 and coach Ralph Platz ponder the situation at junior Fed Cup (Martin Sidorjak/ITFTennis)
The Canadian No. 1 and coach Ralph Platz ponder the situation at junior Fed Cup (Martin Sidorjak/ITFTennis)

Robillard-Millette and Andreescu got off to a great start in the deciding doubles, winning the first set. But in the end, they lost 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to Vondrousova and Anna Slovakova (who is just No. 333 in the ITF world junior rankings) and will have to settle for trying to earn the bronze against Russia, which lost to the U.S. in the other semi-final.

Vondrousova and Slovakova only played together for the first time at ITF-level competition Thursday.

The Canadian boys will play No. 5 seed Germany in the final on Sunday, looking for the country's first junior Davis Cup crown. The 2010 squad, led by Filip Peliwo, lost in the final to Japan.