GERMAN SUPERIORITY: Depleted Germany dominates Davis Cup tie

PARIS, France (AFP) — Germany swept past Chile to keep their perfect record after two ties in the Davis Cup group stage finals with wins also for Canada, Australia and the Netherlands.

Despite the absence of their top four players, including world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, the Germans dominated their Group C tie 3-0 in Zhuhai, China in a group that also includes the United States and Slovakia.

In Manchester, England, Canada beat Finland, 3-0, without dropping a set in Group D, Australia winning by the same scoreline over the injury-hit Czechs in Group B in Valencia, Spain.

In Group A in Bologna, Italy, the Netherlands took the doubles to beat Brazil 2-1.

In Zhuhai, German star Maximilian Marterer, who is ranked No. 104, and 96th-ranked Yannick Hanfmann won their singles ties in straight sets.

Marterer beat Tomas Barrios Vera, 6-1, 6-3, and Hanfmann eased past 22nd-ranked Alejandro Tabilo 7-5, 6-4.

In the doubles, Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz then teamed up to beat Barrios Vera and Matias Soto 6-1, 6-3.

“Before our first match we said ‘okay we need six matches out of nine,’” German captain Michael Kohlmann said, whose side also beat Slovakia, 3-0, on Tuesday.

“Now we have won six out of six. I think that’s pretty impressive.”

Germany will next play the United States, 32-time champions, on Saturday. Chile, who lost 3-0 to the United States on Wednesday play Slovakia on Sunday.

In Manchester, Felix Auger Aliassime, ranked 21 in the world, put Canada ahead with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over 110th ranked Finn Otto Virtanen.

Denis Shapovalov, who is 100th in the ATP rankings, then beat Eero Vasa, who is 360th, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2.

The two Canadians then teamed up to beat Virtanen and Harri Heliovaara 6-2, 7-5 in the doubles.

“We couldn’t ask for more today,” Canada captain Frank Dancevic said.

“Felix had an amazing performance in the singles and the guys stepped it up in the doubles. It was phenomenal. It was such a clean day.”

The Canadians, who beat Argentina 2-1 in their opener, top their group. Britain, who beat Finland 2-1 in their opener are second with matches to come against Argentina and Canada.

In Valencia, the Czech Republic entered the competition with two players ranked in the top 40, but ended Thursday without either.

For the opening singles, Jakub Mensik replaced Jiri Lehecka, ranked 37th, against Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Mensik is ranked at 67, 11 spots higher than the Australian, but Kokkinakis won 6-2, 6-7 (7/2), 6-3.

The match between Australia’s Alexei Popyrin and 34th-ranked Tomas Machac lasted barely five minutes.