Pospisil lifts Canada past Japan in Davis Cup
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Vasek Pospisil beat Go Soeda 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to give Canada a 3-2 victory over Japan on Sunday in the first round of the Davis Cup.
Pospisil ended the match with an ace.
"I couldn't have served any better," said Pospisil, ranked 62nd in the world.
Japan tied it at 2 with fourth-ranked Kei Nishikori's 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory over sixth-ranked Milos Raonic in the first match Sunday.
"I started a little bit shaky. I was missing easy points," Nishikori said. "Second set, I started playing well, return well and play a little more aggressive."
Canada will play at Belgium in the quarterfinals. Belgium beat visiting Switzerland 3-2.
On Saturday in doubles, Pospisil and Daniel Nestor beat Soeda and Yasutaka Uchiyama 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. The teams split the opening singles matches Friday, with Raonic topping Tatsuma Ito 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, and Nishikori beating Pospisil 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3.