While Casper Ruud clearly won his Davis Cup match five days after the US Open final against Alcaraz, the 19-year-old Spaniard had to be beaten by the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, winner 6 -7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2.
Roberto Bautista-Agut had won the first singles match and with a victory Alcaraz would have secured victory for Spain.
Instead, Auger-Aliassime equalized before also playing doubles with Vasek Pospisil to secure Canada’s 2-1 win.
– Felix is a beast, physically and mentally. He is one of the best in the world, said Alcaraz, who is the world’s youngest ever player.
Hard day
– I did not come here in good physical condition. It was a tough day but I have to congratulate him on an incredible fight.
The Valencia crowd cheered for Alcaraz throughout the game, but 13th-placed Auger-Aliassime didn’t let up and limped to victory.
He then returned to the court and got the winning point when he and Pospisil beat Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez, also after losing the first set.
four are ready
Canada leads its group standings with two wins and will face Serbia on Saturday. Spain will face South Korea on Sunday. The top two of the group will take part in the cup game in Malaga in November.
Alcaraz didn’t feature when Spain beat Serbia 3-0 in the first match of the group stage.
Australia and Germany are already quarter-finalists in Group C, the United States and the Netherlands in Group D.
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