Milos Raonic has withdrawn from next week’s Davis Cup Finals in Madrid with a back injury.
Tennis Canada released a statement on Monday morning announcing that the world No. 31 will be unable to participate in first edition of the revamped international team competition.
Raonic has struggled all season with the back injury, only playing five matches since the Rogers Cup in August, where he retired from his second-round match against countryman Felix Auger-Aliassime because of it. The injury also forced him to miss both the French Open and U.S. Open in 2019.
“It is very hard and disappointing for me that I will not be able to represent my country at Davis Cup,” Raonic said in the statement. “My health has continued to let me down through this entire year and now once again. I will take the appropriate time to get healthy and I look forward to being back on court next season.”
“I believe in my teammates, and I know they’ll give everything to secure Canada’s first Davis Cup title. I’ll be following them very closely and I wish them the best.”
Raonic has only appeared for Canada in Davis Cup play since 2015 once, that being the 2018 World Group playoffs.
World No. 94 Brayden Schnur of Toronto will take Raonic’s place on the four-man team which includes world No. 15 Denis Shapovalov, No. 21 Auger-Aliassime, and No. 149 Vasek Pospisil.
“I’m very happy to be able to play in the Davis Cup Finals but, of course, I first want to wish Milos a speedy recovery,” said Schnur in the Tennis Canada statement. “It’s an honour for me to represent Canada in this team competition. We know every win will be hard-won but I’m ready to support my teammates and go all the way.”
Schnur reached his first ATP Tour final as a qualifier in February at the New York Open, losing in a third set tiebreak to Reilly Opelka. He also reached three ATP Challenger Tour finals in 2019, most recently falling to his new Davis Cup teammate Pospisil in Charlottesville two weeks ago.
It will be the Toronto-native’s second appearance for Canada at the Davis Cup. He lost both his singles matches in the 2017 World Group Playoffs against India, although Canada won the tie.
Auger-Aliassime and Pospisil have also suffered injuries in the last month, but both are still expected to play next week.
The Davis Cup Finals will take place from Nov. 18 to 24 at the Caja Magica in Madrid, Spain. Canada is in a group with the United States and Italy in the 18 team tournament.
[relatedlinks]
