Finland boasts famous figures in Formula One, ice hockey, athletics and winter sports but not many noted tennis players and former world number 13 Nieminen said his team's best-ever Davis Cup run could inspire a new generation.
"Now tennis is getting bigger and bigger.
Even before our success, tennis was getting a little bit bigger.
The Davis Cup team is getting more attention.
Finland will play the winner of Wednesday's quarter-final between 2022 runners-up Australia and the Czech Republic in Friday's semi-final.
Persons:
deportes Martin, Finland's Harri Heliovaara, Otto Virtanen, Canada's Alexis Galarneau, Vasek Pospisil, Jon Nazca, Jarkko Nieminen, Harri Heliovaara, Nieminen, It's, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Muralikumar
Organizations:
Palacio, deportes, deportes Martin Carpena, Vasek Pospisil REUTERS, Rights, Davis, Canada, Thomson
Locations:
Finland, Malaga, Spain, Sweden, Fuengirola, Formula, Australia, Czech Republic, Friday's, Bengaluru