Harri Heliövaara rose from the bottom of the bed to become Finland’s hero in the Davis Cup.
Harri Heliövaara aired the win really well. EPA / AOP
On Tuesday evening, Finland dropped a tennis bomb when it knocked down world number one Canada in the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup.
Milos Raonic poured Patrick Kaukovaltan 2–0, but when Otto Virtanen defeated Gabriel Diallo 2–0 and Virtanen and Harri Heliövaara showed the location of the cabinet in the square Alexis Galarneau and Vasek for Pospisthe Finns were given a pass to the semi-finals.
The starting points for Tuesday were not the best possible, because Finland’s number one team Emil Ruusuvuori was not fit to play due to injury. Now the foursome hero Heliövaara reveals on his blogthat his preparation for the game was not the best possible either.
– I came home from the Metz ATP competition after five days at home with a fever of over 38 degrees and a couple of different infections before I was able to train for the first time after a week’s break only on Sunday here in Malaga, Heliövaara says.
The man thanks the Finnish doctor who drove him home with medicine for his recovery.
– In the end, I was hit hard enough today.
Finland won the game 2–0. The match, which lasted an hour and 43 minutes, ended with Virtanen’s ace.
– The ball hit the corner of the box at 220 km/h, and Pospisili didn’t even have time to move, Heliövaara praises the 22-year-old’s decision.
According to Heliövaara, nearly 5,000 Finnish supporters were following Matsia.
– Even the Maamme song rang out from the stands so loud and high that on the field it seemed like a drop would come to the lens. Now we were where it is best for a tennis player to be.
The joint game between Virtanen and Heliövaara was confusingly good considering that the duo had never even practiced doubles together before. The tactic was created in a quick meeting.
– During fifteen minutes, we went through all the basics of the game together. Who plays which square, what are the favorite passes and positions at the net, what can be expected from the opponents and how best to respond to it, Heliövaara says.
Finland will play either the Czech Republic or Australia in the semi-finals on Friday. The winner of the semifinals advances to the Davis Cup finals, which will be played on Sunday.