In icehockey maybe, but in tennis?! Finland ruthlessly knock USA out of the Davis Cup

Finland made history in the Davis Cup by eliminating the United States and securing their spot in the Finals for the first time.

This unexpected turn of events took place in Group D of the Davis Cup, as the team led by captain Bob Bryan couldn't overcome their Finnish counterparts, ultimately falling 3-0 in the series.

The opening match featured a victory by 22-year-old rising star Otto Virtanen, currently ranked World No. 125. Virtanen defeated Mackenzie McDonald, who is ranked 39th, in a thrilling match that ended 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(7), giving the first point to Finland.

Emil Ruusuvuori, ranked 57th, continued the surprise streak by defeating Tommy Paul, who is ranked 12th. With the series already lost, the United States played the inconsequential doubles match, where they could only manage to win one out of the three matches.

However, they faced another setback as the American duo of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram couldn't overcome the Finnish pair of Patrick Kaukovalta and Harri Heliovaara. The closely contested match ended 6-7(6), 7-6(5), 7-6 in favor of the Europeans.

As a result of these outcomes, the Netherlands also secured their place in the end-of-year Finals in Malaga, where the top eight teams will compete.

The Davis Cup has seen its fair share of surprises, including the unexpected elimination of the United States and Spain, making this year's Finals even more unpredictable and exciting.

This is the first time that Finland has defeated USA in the competition. The USA always won 5-0 against Finland in preceding encounters. Finland also reached the Davis Cup Finals for the first time in its history, after beating Argentina in the Qualifying round. USA, on the other hand, has the most Davis Cup titles with 32, and has been a regular participant in the World Group since 1981. Therefore, Finland’s victory over USA is a remarkable achievement and a milestone for Finnish tennis.

Finland's historic achievement in reaching the Davis Cup Finals for the first time underscores the competitiveness and unpredictability of this prestigious international tennis competition.