Otto Virtanen has awakened the fire of Finland and tied the series Davis Cup quarterfinals (1-1) against Canadathanks to a brave victory over Gabriel Diallo in two sets (6-4 and 7-5) in an hour and 33 minutes of good tennis at the Martín Carpena Sports Palace in Málaga.
Number 171 in the world Otto Virtanen, with a forehand that left Diallo at renewed speed, already caused the roar of thousands of Finns present in the Malaga pavilion, as it meant the first set of the tournament for the team coached by Jarkko Nieminen. Besides, he never got off the emotional train.
The first set was a crossroads that Finland managed to push forward through faith and perseverance, but in the second set Diallo’s finesse emerged from being against the ropes to forcing Otto’s machinery.
However, the Finn accepted the challenge, endured the rally, broke serve at a crucial moment and took the final set 7-5, tying the series.
The level of tennis of the second match between Canada and Finland was two steps higher than the first match which Canadian Milos Raonic won against Patrick Kaukovalta in two sets (6-3 and 7-5).
After this 1-1, the final card to decide which team goes to the semifinals will be played in doubleswhich will pit the Canadian pair of Alexis Galarneau and Vasek Pospisil against the Finnish pair of Harri Heliovaara and Otto Virtanen, after Patrik Niklas-Salminen was first announced in last place.
Source: La Verdad
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