Career-altering Cup for Canadian kid
Denis Shapovalov expects to have more “dream weeks” after the Richmond Hill, Ont., teenager’s exhilarating run at the Rogers Cup.
Reaching the semifinals of the Masters 1000 Series event will raise his world ranking from 143rd to a projected 67th, which should mean more chances to prove himself against top competition and take his ranking even further.
The 18-year-old also caught the eye of much of Canada and the tennis world with a run that included a victory over Spanish legend Rafael Nadal, but ended Saturday night with a loss to 20-year-old German Alexander Zverev, the fourth seed.
“I just think I’m improving every week,” Shapovalov said. “I’m playing a lot, but I’m also working a lot with (coach) Marty (Laurendeau).
“This is still a transition year for me. I’m really trying to improve my game so that I can anchor myself in the top-50, top-20, top-10.”
Before the Rogers Cup, Canadians may have known Shapovalov as the whiz kid who won the 2016 Wimbledon junior title. Or they might recall his Davis Cup snit in February, when he smashed a ball away in anger only to hit chair umpire Arnaud Gabas in the eye, an injury that required surgery. Shapovalov apologized and said he learned about controlling his emotions from the incident.
Now, it seems everyone knows the flashy left-hander with the shaggy blond hair.
He’s the one who had hockey great Wayne Gretzky and Olympic swimming medallist Penny Oleksiak in his courtside entourage as he pulled off improbable wins amid the roar of packed grandstands at Uniprix Stadium. Crowds pressed against the ropes as he exited centre court seeking an autograph or even a glimpse of Canada’s new tennis star.
“My whole life has changed in the past five days,” Shapovalov said. “It’s crazy how it is. I mean, I go from being not known to, you know, being so known in the tennis world, in Canada in general. It’s going to be a little bit of a change to me. I’m going to have to adapt.”