VANCOUVER – It was a dead rubber but that doesn’t mean it was entirely pointless.
Reduced to three sets, as per Davis Cup rules, Vernon, B.C., native Vasek Pospisil fell to world No. 13 Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4 in the final rubber of Canada’s tie with France in the World Group first round on Sunday.
“You’re always working on your game and trying to improve,” Pospisil said following the match. “It was a good opportunity for me to play against one of the top players in the world, so obviously I wanted to win. I think I played better than in the first game. My serve came back a bit.
“There was obviously a few things that were subpar from what I’m used to from my game, particularly my forehand. But it was a good game, a tough game. It was a Davis Cup match and I tried my best to win.”
In a match that at times resembled an exhibition, Monfils delighted the crowd at the University of British Columbia’s Thunderbird Sports Complex with a number of acrobatic returns and volleys.
It was the Parisian’s only involvement in the tie after missing out due to tendonitis issue in his right knee, and he took full opportunity to entertain.
“It was just a match without pressure,” Monfils said. “It was a test of my physical (health), but it was very fun.”
Still, pressure or not, from a Canadian perspective it’s hoped the tie’s final rubber will pay dividends down the line for one of the country’s top young players.
“In the end, he’s got team Canada on the back of his shoulders,” Tennis Canada president Michael Downey told Sportsnet.ca. “He’s a proud Canadian and he wanted to play. He’s got 5,000 people from Vancouver, his hometown, watching him. Even though it didn’t mean anything in results, he gave it everything he had.
“It was an entertaining match and he broke a lot of smiles too. Gael put on quite a show with his athleticism, so it was quite entertaining on many fronts.”
Tennis Canada, which sold 15,233 tickets during the event, hopes hosting this Davis Cup tie on home soil will boost the sport’s growth and popularity.
“On the court, we didn’t get the win that we wanted, but off the court everything went well,” Downey said. “From how fast the tickets sold, to the dinner – the ITF were astounded that we had 300 people at our official dinner, and it was a great event.
“There was so much interest in the media – the hype in the local newspapers and the media. All in all, it was a great week and showed that Vancouver is a top-notch tennis market in this country.”
Downey said Oded Jacob, head of high performance with BC Tennis, used the opportunity inspire some of the region’s top youth players.
“(Jacob) profiled 30 or so of the top kids in the Vancouver area,” Downey said. “These kids were all wearing team Canada jerseys, they were out (in front of the crowd) playing just before the tie on Saturday and Sunday, and they were inspired. Those kinds of things are what drive these kids.
“When they can watch the Canadians play at the Davis Cup it gives them something to say – in 10 years from now, this is something I want to be doing.”