Liam Draxl Delivers Under Pressure as Canada Clinches Davis Cup Thriller Over Brazil
Gabriel Diallo may have been the headline act, but Liam Draxl was the heart of the story. In a pressure-packed Davis Cup Qualifiers First Round tie against Brazil, it was Draxl who rose to the moment-not once, but twice-to help push Canada through to the next stage.
Let’s set the stage: Diallo had just come back from a set down to grind out a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) win over Brazil’s Pucinelli De Almeida, forcing a decisive fifth match. With the tie level at 2-2, the spotlight shifted to Draxl. And the 24-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ontario, didn’t blink.
Facing Gustavo Heide in the winner-take-all match Saturday night at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver, Draxl delivered a composed, gutsy performance, winning 6-3, 6-4. The straight-sets victory sealed a 3-2 overall win for Canada and punched their ticket to the second round of Qualifiers in September, where they’ll face either Slovakia or France for a shot at the Davis Cup Final 8.
“This was probably the biggest match of my career,” Draxl said afterward. “The most pressure I’ve ever felt. But it means everything to play for your flag and your country, and to book our spot for September.”
Draxl’s effort was more than just a win-it was a showcase of resilience, especially considering what happened mid-match. Already up 4-2 in the first set and in full control, Draxl rolled his right ankle while retreating for a ball.
He limped to the bench, took a medical timeout, and had the ankle taped. For a moment, it looked like momentum might shift.
But Draxl shook it off.
“I just rolled it a little bit,” he said. “It hurt for about 30 seconds, but I passed the ankle tests and felt no pain, so I figured I’d be alright. It didn’t affect my effort.”
He returned to the court and picked up right where he left off-firing backhand winners and painting the lines with cross-court shots. He broke Heide for a 5-3 lead and served out the first set. In the second, another well-placed return on break point gave him a 4-3 edge, and from there, he never looked back.
This wasn’t Draxl’s first big moment of the weekend, either. On Friday, he opened the tie with a commanding 6-3, 6-3 win over Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva in just 76 minutes-setting the tone for Canada early.
And earlier on Saturday, he teamed up with Calgary’s Cleeve Harper in doubles against Brazil’s Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos, who were fresh off a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open. That match didn’t go Canada’s way, but Draxl’s workload-singles on both days plus doubles-spoke volumes about the trust this team has in him.
“We had incredible character today,” said Canadian captain Frank Dancevic. “It’s not easy to come back after tough losses and then have to win a match to keep the tie alive.
Credit to Gabriel [Diallo]-that third set was a huge mental hurdle for him to overcome. A lot was on his shoulders.”
Diallo’s comeback win was crucial, no doubt. But Draxl’s ability to finish the job-and do it while managing an in-match injury-was the defining moment of the tie. It was a performance that reflected not just his talent, but the culture this Canadian team has built.
“We fight for every point. We leave it all out there,” Draxl said. “That’s who we are.”
Canada now moves on with momentum and belief. September’s matchup won’t be easy, whether it’s Slovakia or France waiting on the other side. But with fighters like Draxl leading the charge, this Canadian squad has shown it’s ready for whatever comes next.