Tennis News: Finland advanced to the Davis Cup semi-finals for the first time in the 2023 season after beating defending champions Canada 2-1 in Malaga, Spain.
Whatever happens, it will certainly be a special event for Finland as more than 3,000 fans cheered them on at Martina Carpena. But winning the match and how they won it was definitely beyond their wildest dreams.
Not only did they do it without their best tennis player, Emil Ruusuvuori, who was forced to miss the Davis Cup due to injury, but they also had to recover after Canadian tennis player Milos Raonic gave his first point in Canada after securing a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Finnish player Patrick Kaukovalta.
After that, Finnish tennis player Otto Virtanen showed off his spurs. The Finnish number two managed to equalize 1-1 after beating Canadian Gabriel Diallo 6-4, 7-5. He then returned to the court and partnered Harri Heliovaara in the deciding doubles match. The Finnish duo crushed the Canadian team of Vasek Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau 7-5, 6-3, a victory that sparked wild celebrations and propelled Finland into the Davis Cup semifinals to face either Australia, or the Czechs.
“This is why we play tennis,” said an emotional Heliovaara. “Today is definitely one of the most important days of my career in terms of emotions. We knew in advance that there would be a certain number of Finnish fans, but you never know how good the feeling will be until you actually feel it on the pitch. This emotion is something I can maintain throughout my life.
Virtanen added: “We are not in Finland, but we feel like we are in Finland. I love the pressure of playing in front of our fans, it only makes me play better, with all the support I get. Playing for my country means everything to me. Today was incredible.
Finland is the first Scandinavian country to reach the Davis Cup semi-finals since Sweden in the 2007 season.
“This sport will become a little bigger in the future than it has been since,” said Finnish team captain Jarkko Nieminen.
“It’s a positive thing. Now our journey will continue. This is obviously an extraordinary moment, but now is not the time to celebrate. We have the opportunity to go even further.
Article keywords: Tennis, Davis Cup, Otto Virtanen, Haari Heliovaara
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