Rosstour
Talk Tennis Guru
I love Dimi as well but Shapo is just so much more fun to watch. Grigor feels like a Fed imitation but Shapo feels like a Fed evolution
The Shape Of Things To Come: Denis Shapovalov!
- Thread starter stringertom
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I love Dimi as well but Shapo is just so much more fun to watch. Grigor feels like a Fed imitation but Shapo feels like a Fed evolution
He trusts all of his shots now, he’s not panicking with any of them, and it’s translated into a much better viewing experience
I used to hate viewing Shapo with a passion because he’d get so angry, his BH return was a guaranteed error, and the double faulting and raging was almost every match. He was an angry, directionless player. Not anymore.
I used to hate viewing Shapo with a passion because he’d get so angry, his BH return was a guaranteed error, and the double faulting and raging was almost every match. He was an angry, directionless player. Not anymore.
NYTennisfan
Hall of Fame
Shapo is more explosive than Dimitrov but more in terms of the beauty of their games, albeit different styles.
I just can't get sucked in again yet though. These are 3rd tier tournaments against 3rd tier and lower players. I need to see him do this against top tier guys and even 2nd tier guys in Masters and Slams to really start to believe that he can be a threat. At least for now, he seems to be on a positive trajectory which is all we can ask for at this point.
mental midget
Hall of Fame
that's high praise! alcaraz and sinner are...pretty good on their best day, carlos in particular. but agree w the sentiment, shapovalov has the firepower and movement to trouble anyone. also love how he's getting lots of returns in play, blocking it deep...just getting the point started. if he can maintain the consistency off the ground and quit gifting easy points, he's a top 10 player without question and a threat in the majors...the 'old shapo' made a SF or two, right? i think this one could do better.
Vincent-C
Legend
Shap was a Wimbledon semifinalist, losing to Djok in three very tight sets. As I recall Shap had a set point
in the first set.. correction welcome.
Rosstour
Talk Tennis Guru
I like Alcaraz, gonna feel weird to root against him.
Joseph_K
Hall of Fame
A competent win, in the end, for Denis Shapovalov against the unheralded Australian Adam Walton in second-round action in Indian Wells earlier on Saturday. The Canadian had a point for 4-1 in the first set, but at 3-all went 0-40 down before winning five points in a row to move ahead 4-3. Two games later the set was his. In the second set Shapovalov went 0-2 down but then won six games in a row to seal victory at 6-3, 6-2.
In the next round the Canadian, who is seeded no. 27, will face the no. 2 seed, Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard won their only previous meeting, at the French Open in 2023.
In the next round the Canadian, who is seeded no. 27, will face the no. 2 seed, Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard won their only previous meeting, at the French Open in 2023.
Rosstour
Talk Tennis Guru
Bo3 match of the year incoming
Joseph_K
Hall of Fame
A match of ups and downs for Denis Shapovalov against Thiago Agustin Tirante in second-round action at the Masters Series 1000 tournament in Miami earlier on Saturday. The Canadian took the first set 6-3 after one break. In the second set he came from 1-3 down to break twice and lead 5-4, 40-0 on his own serve. At 40-15 he played a risky drop shot, then hit three double faults in a row to give away the game. The second set ended on a tiebreak, which Tirante won by 7 points to 1.
In the final set Shapovalov broke in the second game and then held to lead 3-0. But he was broken in turn at 3-1, and at 3-all was taken to deuce before holding. This set also ended on a tiebreak, one in which the Canadian was always ahead. He took it by 7 points to 3 after a match whose outcome was unclear until the last point had been played. The final score was 7-6(1), 2-6, 7-6(3).
In the round of 32 Shapovalov, the no. 27 seed, will face the no. 3 seed, Taylor Fritz. The Canadian currently leads their head-to-head 6-4, and beat the American in their most recent encounter, on his way to the title in Dallas earlier this year.
In the final set Shapovalov broke in the second game and then held to lead 3-0. But he was broken in turn at 3-1, and at 3-all was taken to deuce before holding. This set also ended on a tiebreak, one in which the Canadian was always ahead. He took it by 7 points to 3 after a match whose outcome was unclear until the last point had been played. The final score was 7-6(1), 2-6, 7-6(3).
In the round of 32 Shapovalov, the no. 27 seed, will face the no. 3 seed, Taylor Fritz. The Canadian currently leads their head-to-head 6-4, and beat the American in their most recent encounter, on his way to the title in Dallas earlier this year.
GrassCourtFan
Legend
Gah, that match summary sounds like old Shapo, not the new one that was winning this year. Losing the second set with three DFs when leading 6-3 5-4 40-0…. Better players like Fritz won’t let him get away with that.
Rosstour
Talk Tennis Guru
He already smoked Fritz in DAL after losing the first set.
That pattern continues: he was down 3-0, getting absolutely tooled. Found his rhythm and we're back on serve. He showed in that last game that Fritz can't outhit him when he's cooking
Rovesciarete
Hall of Fame
Shapo does not only look quicker he also steals a lot more points. 38.7% return points won is something which I never expected for him, good for Denis. Serve numbers surprisingly down, if not he would likely win 80% if his matches...
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vive le beau jeu !
Talk Tennis Guru
disappointing loss... 
Rosstour
Talk Tennis Guru
disappointing loss...
Yeah, I expected the second set to go differently after Denis threatened to win the first.
sandiegoman
Semi-Pro
Things are Shaping up for him
Joseph_K
Hall of Fame
Earlier on Monday Denis Shapovalov took on Marcos Giron in the first round of the Master Series 1000 in Monte Carlo. This was their third meeting this year. The American seems to like playing the Canadian despite the difference in their ranking, which isn’t really that big at the moment, with Shapovalov currently at no. 29 and Giron at no. 45. Perhaps this is because Giron knows that Shapovalov has a tendency to make unforced errors, especially if his opponent has a good defensive game and can keep getting the ball back before the Canadian hits it into the net or out beyond the confines of the court.
This happened quite a lot on the clay in Monte Carlo earlier today. The American seemed happy to stand several feet behind the baseline and, when necessary, scramble the ball back over the net as best he could. His best in this respect was more than adequate a significant number of times as Shapovalov hit too many errors throughout the match, especially on his backhand side. In fact, the Canadian made a total of 49 unforced errors during the match compared to Giron’s 23.
As often happens, Shapovalov was broken the first time he served in the match as he went behind 0-2. At 3-1 in the first set, with Giron serving, a long, 23-point game ensued in which the Canadian had four break points, but he was unable to convert any of them. Giron held and went on to take the set in the ninth game.
In the second set Shapovalov broke through to 15 on Giron’s serve to lead 3-1, and led 40-30 in the next game before some loose play cost him his serve. At 3-4 and 5-6, the Canadian had Giron 0-30 on the American’s serve, but Giron then won four points in a row both times. In the tiebreak that ended the set Shapovalov led 2-0, but then lost four points in a row before winning the next three to lead 5-4.
But that was the length of the Canadian’s tether. Giron won the next three points, the tiebreak 7-5, and the match 6-3, 7-6(5). He now leads his head-to-head with Shapovalov 3-1. If the Canadian wants to figure in the later rounds of tournaments, he will have to find a way to beat players like Marcos Giron in the earlier ones.
This happened quite a lot on the clay in Monte Carlo earlier today. The American seemed happy to stand several feet behind the baseline and, when necessary, scramble the ball back over the net as best he could. His best in this respect was more than adequate a significant number of times as Shapovalov hit too many errors throughout the match, especially on his backhand side. In fact, the Canadian made a total of 49 unforced errors during the match compared to Giron’s 23.
As often happens, Shapovalov was broken the first time he served in the match as he went behind 0-2. At 3-1 in the first set, with Giron serving, a long, 23-point game ensued in which the Canadian had four break points, but he was unable to convert any of them. Giron held and went on to take the set in the ninth game.
In the second set Shapovalov broke through to 15 on Giron’s serve to lead 3-1, and led 40-30 in the next game before some loose play cost him his serve. At 3-4 and 5-6, the Canadian had Giron 0-30 on the American’s serve, but Giron then won four points in a row both times. In the tiebreak that ended the set Shapovalov led 2-0, but then lost four points in a row before winning the next three to lead 5-4.
But that was the length of the Canadian’s tether. Giron won the next three points, the tiebreak 7-5, and the match 6-3, 7-6(5). He now leads his head-to-head with Shapovalov 3-1. If the Canadian wants to figure in the later rounds of tournaments, he will have to find a way to beat players like Marcos Giron in the earlier ones.
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