Top-ranked Canadian Milos Raonic has pulled out of his country’s first-round Davis Cup tie against Japan in Tokyo with an ankle injury. Canada’s No. 2 player, Vasek Pospisil, who has been nursing a back injury, will be limited to doubles duty.
Canadian captain Martin Laurendeau named Peter Polansky to the team in place of Raonic. “I came to Tokyo believing my ankle would recover but it is not at a level where I feel I can compete or help my team,” said Raonic. “This decision was very difficult to make but I believe in the players on our team and that they can get us the win. With a team scenario the most important part this week is to come out with a team win and I believe this is the best way to do it.”
The Canadian Davis Cup team now consists of Polansky, Frank Dancevic, Daniel Nestor and Pospisil.
World No. 135 Polansky will face No. 18 Kei Nishikori in the opening match, while No. 119 Dancevic will play No. 140 Go Soeda. The doubles teams will be Pospisil and Nestor for Canada, and Yuichi Sugita and Yasutaka Uchiyama for Japan.