Canada wins Davis Cup tie against Israel in empty Halifax arena amid protests
Canada advanced to the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers with a 4-0 win over Israel in a best-of-five tie played in an empty Halifax arena amid protests.
Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ont., and Cleeve Harper of Calgary came back from a set down to defeat Jordan Hasson and Ofek Shimanov 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 in Saturday's first match.
Singles wins by Draxl and Montreal's Gabriel Diallo on Friday meant the doubles victory sealed Canada's advancement out of the World Group 1 stage and into next year's qualifiers for the main Davis Cup tournament.
With victory assured, Canada elected to replace world No. 35 Diallo with Harper for a singles match with Orel Kimhi. Harper, playing in his first Davis Cup tie, completed the Canadian sweep with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win.
Draxl was scheduled to cap the tie with a match against Daniel Cukierman if necessary, but the match was not played.
Tennis Canada made the call earlier this week to hold the matches at Scotiabank Centre without spectators or media present, citing safety concerns it said were flagged by local authorities and security agencies.
The streets surrounding the Halifax Common park were closed for about an hour Saturday as a few hundred protesters chanted, sang and waved signs opposing Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
People holding a banner made from a tennis net that read "Don't play ball" led the demonstration.
Some signs denounced Halifax Mayor Andy Filmore for allowing the event to take place. Friday's matches were also protested.
About 400 Canadian athletes and academics, including Olympic runner Moh Ahmed, had previously urged Tennis Canada to cancel the games.
Earlier this week, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said it was disappointed the event had to be closed to fans. It referred to the protesters as extremists who silenced "thousands of fans ... who simply wanted to show pride in their country."
The world's leading authority on food crises declared famine in Gaza City in August, after months of warnings by aid groups that Israel's restrictions of food and other aid into Gaza were causing starvation among Palestinian civilians.
Earlier this month, the largest professional organization of scholars studying genocide said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
cbc.ca
