Struff beats Shapovalov to send Germany into semi-final

Malaga (Spain): Jan-Lennard Struff rallied to beat Denis Shapovalov 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) and send Germany into the Davis Cup semi-finals 2-0 over Canada in a successful revenge mission on Wednesday. World number 43 Struff failed to serve out the match at 5-4 and missed two break points in the next game. But he eventually prevailed on first match point in the concluding tie-break after 2 hours 7 minutes when 56th-ranked Shapovalov committed his 13th double fault, after earlier firing 27 aces. "It was a tough match. I am happy that I could get the deciding point,” Struff said. Daniel Altmaier had given Germany the lead with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 victory over Gabriel Diallo in 1:57 hours. World number 88 Altmaier almost squandered a 5-0 lead in the first set tie-break but got the match winning break in the final game after 86th-ranked Diallo squandered two chances to tie at 5-5. "A dream has come true. It is always a big honour to play for your country,” Altmaier said. (dpa)