THE ONE AND ONLY
There’s one heck of a roadblock waiting for Denis Shapovalov in the third round of the Australian Open: No. 1 Novak Djokovic.
Denis Shapovalov likes to set the tone on the tennis court, using an offence-first approach to dictate pace and force an opponent’s hand.
That style worked nicely in the first two matches at the Australian Open. Repeating that success in the third round will be a much stiffer challenge.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic awaits the 19-year-old Richmond Hill native in a matchup that has tournament organizers and fans drooling. An alltime great still in his prime against a top NextGen talent could be a highlight reel waiting to happen.
Djokovic is in top form and is a six-time Australian Open champion. One of the game’s top defensive players, it’ll be fascinating to see how he handles the left-hander’s power game.
“He’s got an explosiveness, I would call his ball wicked,” tennis analyst Robert Bettauer said of Shapovalov. “He’s got a wicked ball the way it moves through the court, the way it kicks up and the way it’s got a lefty spin. So he’s very difficult to play against and he’s a fearless player.
“He’s not looking to out-rally or out-steady an opponent. He’s looking to outhit him.”
Shapovalov has experience facing the ATP Tour’s big guns.
He surprised current top-five players Juan Martin del Potro and Rafael Nadal during a memorable run to the Rogers Cup semifinal as a wild card in 2017. Shapovalov continued to make strides last season and has risen to No. 27 in the rankings.
However, a showcase match at a Grand Slam against the best player in the world is a different beast.
“Honestly, there’s no pressure on me now,” Shapovalov told reporters at Melbourne Park. “Obviously he’s the favourite to win. I’m just going to go out there, give it my best shot and see what happens. I think I’ve been playing really good tennis. So if that continues, I think I could have a chance to really make it a battle and a tough match for him.
“Hopefully potentially even try to win the match.”
Djokovic, 31, won two Grand Slams last season and has won 72 singles titles over his career.
Shapovalov has yet to appear in an ATP Tour final. The No. 25 seed has tremendous range and his retrieving ability is a strong asset.
“I’ve got lots of respect for him, especially for his determination and professionalism at such a young age,” said Djokovic, a 14-time Grand Slam champion from Serbia. “He’s very mature mentally, which is not really common to see in young players that they feel so comfortable and confident. They’re not always backing themselves on the big stage.
“He has proven he can beat the big players, so I’m expecting a tough one.”
Ottawa native Jesse Levine, a former pro who now works as a coach, scout and broadcaster, said Shapovalov will embrace the heightened attention.
“I’ve seen Denis play since he was 16 years old and he’s what we call a gamer,” Levine said Thursday from Boca Raton, Fla.
Shapovalov opened with a straight-set win against world No. 82 Pablo Andujar of Spain. He followed with a comfortable victory against 78th-ranked Taro Daniel of Japan.
No. 16 seed Milos Raonic of Thornhill, the other Canadian remaining in singles play, will face Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France in the third round.
“I think he does things at the net well, he tries to play aggressive,” Raonic said. “He tries to take swipes at the ball. I think we’re both going to be looking for the opportunity to dictate and who can control more.”