Lesson learned for Shapovalov
His act of angst will live on in lowlight reels, but Canadian will recover
The Atlanta Falcons weren’t the only ones blindsided Sunday.
It also happened to a Davis Cup umpire at TD Place in Ottawa.
We can’t accuse umpire Arnaud Gabas of taking his eye off the ball, because the play was dead when Canadian Denis Shapovalov pulled a ball from his pocket and smashed it angrily – accidentally striking Gabas just beneath his left eye.
There was visible swelling around the eye, but Gabas calmly announced the Shapovalov default before being taken to hospital for evaluation. According to the International Tennis Federation, Gabas did not suffer eye damage, though he will have a followup appointment with his own eye doctor in France.
As quickly as the ball reached the umpire, Shapovalov’s right hand came to his own mouth to signal his mortification and disbelief over what just happened.
The result was dropping the deciding singles match to Kyle Edmund (6-3, 6-4, 2-1) to deliver Great Britain a 3-2 win in this Davis Cup tie. The Brits advance to the World Group quarter-finals, while Canada faces the circuitous route of World Group playoffs in September.
On Monday, Shapovalov was fined US$7,000 for his actions. He would have been docked US$10,000 had his foul been ruled intentional. It was hardly that. The young man apologized unconditionally to the umpire and to Canadian teammates Sunday and again, with feeling, on Twitter Monday for his “unprofessional behaviour.” He could not have been more remorseful.
Everyone remembers what it was like to be 17 and a little ticked off. Fortunately, most of us didn’t have to worry about a fit of pique on the field of play ending up on YouTube or sports channel lowlight reels for years to come.
So there is some sympathy for this teenager from Richmond Hill, Ont., acting like, well, a teenager.
Shapovalov probably shouldn’t have been thrown into the pressure boiler of a Davis Cup tie, either — last year’s fresh-faced Wimbledon junior champ, cap on backwards, up against seasoned adult players. It only happened because Milos Raonic, Canada’s best singles player, was injured and unable to compete. That left Vasek Pospisil to fill in for Raonic, which he did, heroically.
Shapovalov then took on Pospisil’s role as No. 2 in singles and it was a lot to ask of the kid.
Plus, can everyone just stop smashing rackets and/or hammering tennis balls in disgust? Let’s drop punching bags beyond the baseline for venting purposes.
YouTube videos spilleth over with tantrums captured on camera. Some of the rants carry on so long the angry player has time to change moods, never mind his racket.
One of the most popular racket-smashing episodes occurred at the 2012 Australian Open when Marcos Baghdatis systematically destroyed four rackets. The last two were still in their plastic wrap, hundreds of dollars of preciously crafted tennis tools smashed to bits.
It was comical. Fans cheering wildly, an umpire uttering a “racket abuse warning,” which caused Baghdatis to break out in a grin.
But even the best and brightest have smashed rackets, from Novak Djokovic to the normally serene and cerebral Roger Federer.
Umpires and tennis linesmen occasionally get in the line of fire. At the Queen’s Club Championships in 2012, David Nalbandian of Argentina lashed out after losing a point in the final, kicking down a Nike advertising board at the side of the court. The top edge of the board cut into a line judge’s shin, causing blood to run down his leg onto his bright white socks. Nalbandian was disqualified. All things considered, Shapovalov’s errant, unlucky ball smash could have been worse.
He could have been winning this match, but was well on his way to defeat anyway.
He could have been at Centre Court in Wimbledon and accidentally picked off Queen Elizabeth II, making a rare courtside appearance.
He could have been an older player beyond reform, instead of a promising young player who truly is sorry and has a chance to learn from his mistake.
Hopefully the next time Mr. Shapovalov strikes a tennis ball toward the stands, it will be a playful lob to the crowd, celebrating a well-earned victory.