diallo

Rising star Gabriel Diallo headlines the five-man roster for Canada’s Davis Cup qualifier against Brazil next month at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. 

Diallo, the world No. 40 from Montreal, will be joined on the squad by Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ont., Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., Nicolas Arsenault of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Calgary’s Cleeve Harper, Tennis Canada said Monday in a release.

The first-round tie is set for Feb. 6-7 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. 

Diallo is tabbed to make his 10th consecutive Davis Cup appearance. He cracked the top 100 in the ATP Tour’s world rankings in his breakthrough 2024 season and won his first ATP Tour title last year at the Libema Open.

The tie will determine which country advances to the second qualifying round in September. The seven teams that make it past the second round will join host and defending champion Italy in the Davis Cup Final 8 in November.

The best-of-five Canada-Brazil tie will begin with two singles matches, followed by a doubles match and two singles matches on the second day.

“We are very pleased to announce such a strong team for our upcoming Davis Cup tie in Vancouver,” Canadian captain Frank Dancevic said in a statement. “Last year, for the first time in a long time, we didn’t make it to the final stage of the competition, which has only motivated us even more to make it happen this year. 

“It all starts now against an excellent Brazilian team, and I am confident that our players are ready to take on the challenge.”

The Canadians, who won the Davis Cup in 2022, reached the first qualifying round by posting a 4-0 win over Israel in a World Group I tie last September in Halifax.

Draxl is ranked 132nd in the latest singles rankings. Galarneau is at No. 213 and Arsenault is ranked 501st. Harper is ranked 94th in doubles.