It’s the top of an extremely profitable period for Vasek Pospisil with Canada’s Davis Cup staff. The 34-year-old introduced that his doubles match in opposition to Hungary was the ultimate one in every of a Davis Cup profession that can go down in Canadian tennis historical past.
He went out in model with a classic efficiency alongside Liam Draxl to maintain his squad alive within the Qualifiers First Spherical tie at IGA Stadium. It was one other shining second for Pospisil in Montreal, a metropolis that has at all times embraced him and been the positioning of many recollections, together with his first Masters 1000 semi-final on the Nationwide Financial institution Open introduced by Rogers in 2013. Pospisil’s achievements in tennis are quite a few, together with a Grand Slam doubles title at Wimbledon in 2014 with Jack Sock, however Davis Cup was at all times the event that meant probably the most to him.
“Davis Cup has had such a huge impact on my profession and life. Successful in 2022, I don’t assume I’ve ever needed to win something extra then that title we received there,” Pospisil reminisced about Canada being topped world champions. “I felt like that was a very large, large second for me.”
Fifteen years of loyalty, 35 ties, and 33 wins, together with 18 in doubles, is the stuff Davis Cup legends are fabricated from and Pospisil actually qualifies. It’s becoming that his curtain name got here alongside his inheritor obvious, Draxl, who rose to the event in his Crew Canada debut, 17 years after getting his image taken with Pospisil on the U12 Eddie Herr junior event in Florida. It was the veteran passing the torch to the rookie, the identical means Daniel Nestor paved the best way for Pospisil. The prolific pair performed 11 Davis Cup doubles matches collectively earlier than Nestor retired, leaving Pospisil to take over the reins.
“I used to be so comfy on the market simply figuring out that Vasek was main the staff, that’s how I felt, and I suppose that introduced a superb degree out of me,” Draxl mentioned. “It was simply tremendous comforting enjoying in an enormous match, down 2-0, him (Vasek) making the calls and I used to be trusting every thing he was telling me on the market. I believe there was a whole lot of belief on the market and I undoubtedly believed in Vasek’s degree and data on the court docket. I used to be simply form of following his lead and making an attempt to do the perfect I may.”
Well-known for his infectious vitality on the court docket by way of the years and skill to raise his sport when it mattered most, Pospisil out of the blue discovered himself on the receiving finish of that zeal and need enjoying subsequent to Draxl for the primary time.
READ: Canada Gave It All the things at Davis Cup, Now a Robust Street Begins
“I felt so comfy on the market with Liam which speaks volumes for each his ability and vitality, it’s a tremendous mixture,” Pospisil defined. I felt like he’s been there for years, I felt like we had performed collectively many instances. He’s a fantastic child; an excellent onerous employee and he’s enjoying nice. He’s bought a fantastic future forward and there’s no query he’ll be on the staff for a few years enjoying doubles.”
There’s no query that Pospisil might be missed by his teammates. His presence was vital and the legacy he leaves behind might be felt for generations to return.
“Superb man, wonderful profession. We’re going to overlook him for certain on the staff,” mentioned captain Frank Dancevic. “He introduced a whole lot of worth to the staff along with his singles and doubles play and his charisma, on and off the court docket.”
