The Shape Of Things To Come: Denis Shapovalov!

InvisibleSoul

Hall of Fame
I know that people say he's 15 while Shapovalov is 17 but even if Shapovalov was 15, his game looked more impressive and seems mentally stronger but that's my opinion. I still think Shapovalov will the best prospect that comes out of Canada.
That's a weird way to put it.

They're basically around the same skill level right now, except Shapovalov has more than 1.5 years on FAA. I'm curious to see what FAA will have achieved by November of next year.
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
I know that people say he's 15 while Shapovalov is 17 but even if Shapovalov was 15, his game looked more impressive and seems mentally stronger but that's my opinion. I still think Shapovalov will the best prospect that comes out of Canada.
I agree with vernonbc's growing pain comments on FAA, but Shapovalov looks like has some real strengths to his game. I don't mind his forehand, but the big, big lefty serve is going to be a huge weapon if it gets much faster (over 125 mph a lot.) The volley's look great and the one handed backhand too. That is an awful lot going for Shaps.

Felix is younger and just sprouted. I fear he may get too tall now, but otherwise he does really look like a tennis player build wise. Like this two handed backhand. Don't like his forehand (too Western and Open, but something not right.) I'll take the one with the elegant strokes.;) (Shap)
From recent Challenger (great celebration):

Nice stills from Wimby including doubles final loss with FAA:

Shapovalov has got it all plus the required video from his youth:
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
I agree with vernonbc's growing pain comments on FAA, but Shapovalov looks like has some real strengths to his game. I don't mind his forehand, but the big, big lefty serve is going to be a huge weapon if it gets much faster (over 125 mph a lot.) The volley's look great and the one handed backhand too. That is an awful lot going for Shaps.

Felix is younger and just sprouted. I fear he may get too tall now, but otherwise he does really look like a tennis player build wise. Like this two handed backhand. Don't like his forehand (too Western and Open, but something not right.) I'll take the one with the elegant strokes.;) (Shap)
From recent Challenger (great celebration):

Nice stills from Wimby including doubles final loss with FAA:

Shapovalov has got it all plus the required video from his youth:
8 years old and already playing an all-court game!!!

Glad he's lost some of that loopy FH takeback and all of the BH loop.
 

gogo

Legend
Looks like Denis did in fact get awarded a WC in Rogers Cup MD. (He and Pospisil, who is only a couple of spots out of direct entry, so may not need it.)
I think WCs were in short supply with a great turn out so far by the top players.
 

Dolgopolov85

G.O.A.T.
Looks beautiful from the wimby boys final h/ls. But I am sure Dimi did too when he was playing juniors. Heck, Dimi still is beautiful to watch, except....

Does have the makings of a lefty Federer. I mean purely style wise and NOT greatness. Let's see how Shapovalov shapes up. Lucas Lacko won't be easy pickings, esp if Shapovalov had to fight out titanic rallies with Dan Evans. Remember how easily Fed crushed him?
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
Looks beautiful from the wimby boys final h/ls. But I am sure Dimi did too when he was playing juniors. Heck, Dimi still is beautiful to watch, except....

Does have the makings of a lefty Federer. I mean purely style wise and NOT greatness. Let's see how Shapovalov shapes up. Lucas Lacko won't be easy pickings, esp if Shapovalov had to fight out titanic rallies with Dan Evans. Remember how easily Fed crushed him?
Just hope the matches are televised. Beating Lacko would be a tremedous achievement. It s impossible to know until a player matures in early 20s unless they are a Nadalian beast at a young age. Even Djoko was doubted until 2011.
 

gogo

Legend
An interesting article about Denis....includes more behind the scenes background about his development and highlights his attitude.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor.../+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

“I’m trying to stay humble, because if I don’t keep producing results, all of this goes away, so I want to focus on the people close to me – my family and my team, they mean everything to me,” said Shapovalov. “I want to inspire younger kids, just like Milos inspired me. I want to be like Milos one day, playing in the final at Wimbledon.”

I hope all of this attention doesn't ruin him, but his head seems screwed on straight still.
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
An interesting article about Denis....includes more behind the scenes background about his development and highlights his attitude.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor.../+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

“I’m trying to stay humble, because if I don’t keep producing results, all of this goes away, so I want to focus on the people close to me – my family and my team, they mean everything to me,” said Shapovalov. “I want to inspire younger kids, just like Milos inspired me. I want to be like Milos one day, playing in the final at Wimbledon.”

I hope all of this attention doesn't ruin him, but his head seems screwed on straight still.
@SoBad mother Russia.:rolleyes:
 

InvisibleSoul

Hall of Fame
Ouch... Shapovalov's time at Rogers Cup will probably not be a long one.

He drew 11th seed Kyrgios first round. With the top 8 seeds getting byes to the second round, he definitely got one of the toughest first round opponents possible.
 

3fees

G.O.A.T.
Rogers Cup
Monday, July 25, 2016

Day 3

Not before 7:00 PM

Shapovalov v Kyrgios, Canuck wonderboy vs Auzzie badboy,,17 yo v 21 yo, This could be a very good match or One of these players is out in Round 1.

Cheers
3Fees :)
 

3fees

G.O.A.T.
Rising star Denis Shapovalov to make Rogers Cup debut

Canadian tennis fans will be able to check out rising star Denis Shapovalov on home soil at Rogers Cup presented by National Bank this month, as the recent Junior Wimbledon champion has received a wild card into the tournament’s main draw.

The 17-year-old from Richmond Hill, the current No. 2 junior in the world, will be competing in his second ATP World Tour event following the 500-level tournament in Washington next week, for which he also received a wild card. Rogers Cup will the biggest event he has played in his young career so far.

He has enjoyed early pro success, winning his first three ITF Pro Circuit tournaments earlier this year and making the semifinals of the $50,000 Drummondville Challenger. Right now, the lefty sits at world No. 372 on the ATP rankings.

His Rogers Cup debut comes just two years after he acted as a hitting partner at the tournament at the age of 15, when he warmed up 17-time Slam champion Roger Federer on Centre Court prior to his semifinal match.

Denis-Roger-e1468508996516.jpg




Cheers
3Fees :)

 

gogo

Legend
Interesting article about Denis' path, including going his own way without much help from Tennis Canada. It shows that there can be more than one path forward for the up and comers.

Extract from article:

....If he makes it, Shapovalov had to promise to invest the same amount in another promising prospect down the road.

The odyssey through the bowels of the ITF Futures Circuit – $10,000 total purses, no points in the qualifying, two if you get to the quarter-finals and 18 (and a little over $1,000) if you win the title, was a game-changer. As a comparison, the winner of this week’s Rogers Cup gets 1,000 ranking points.

Between November 2015 and May 2016 (with a couple of pit stops in Canada), Shapovalov and Furiovia traipsed through Niceville, Pensacola, Tallahassee, Plantation, Sunrise, Weston, Memphis, Little Rock, Orange Park and Vero Beach.

Most of those tournaments are played in small clubs on Har-Tru, an artificial clay surface that was kryptonite to Shapovalov’s attacking game and isn’t even used on the ATP Tour any more.

At first, his ranking was so lowly he had to qualify for these events, and many of these tournaments have 128-player qualifying draws. That’s 128 players with tiny rankings and big dreams, most much older and more physically mature than Shapovalov.


View gallery

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a9f1fe00-5907-11e5-ae26-19d967229017_Canadiandubs.jpg

Team effort: Shapovalov and doubles partner Félix Auger-Aliassime with Tennis Canada coach Guillaume Marx (far …

The surface taught him to be more patient and construct points better. The multiple matches taught him to take on a heavy workload. And the constant competition even on days he wasn’t feeling his best taught him how to win ugly.


By the end of it, he had broken into the top 400 and was making waves.
...

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/e...their-way-has-been-the-highway-115901394.html
 
I am happy about this. Nice kid. One hander. Lefty. From neighboring Canada, which i enjoy calling Cañadá because that is how the juco players pronounce it in California.

Allez!

Felix
Whose forehand looks like a double helix.

Denis
Which rhymes with tennis.

What is not to like? Allez Cañadá!
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
And to think that Shapo's career seemed to take off shortly after he chatted with a wise stringer in Vero Beach. Hmmmm.
;)

(It was Vero Beach, wasn't it?)
Yes, gogo but I can't take any credit for his titles the week before in Orange Park or in Weston in January. He came to me a willing vessel to receive my gurueshness, like young Caine to Master Po. My little grasshopper!:cool:
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
I am happy about this. Nice kid. One hander. Lefty. From neighboring Canada, which i enjoy calling Cañadá because that is how the juco players pronounce it in California.

Allez!

Felix
Whose forehand looks like a double helix.

Denis
Which rhymes with tennis.

What is not to like? Allez Cañadá!
Wee awl no ewe geaux fore Shapo cuz eye taut hymn rite howe two speke gut Ingelish.:cool:
 

pound cat

G.O.A.T.
“He's coming off of one of the best results of his career. He has a great future,” Kyrgios said. “I'm really looking forward to seeing how he's going to progress... He's a top player.”

after the match.....
 

Red Rick

Bionic Poster
What is Shapo's planning? He can still play juniors next year if I'm correct, and with yesterday's win he's entered the top 300. Just junior Slams whilst slowly moving into challengers with the odd ATP wildcard where it is a good decision?
 

cjs

Professional
Saw this kid play for the first time yesterday against Krygios. He's got potential but he's groundies are way too loose.
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
What is Shapo's planning? He can still play juniors next year if I'm correct, and with yesterday's win he's entered the top 300. Just junior Slams whilst slowly moving into challengers with the odd ATP wildcard where it is a good decision?
If he is still playing as an amateur, he's already forfeited $32K in prize money these past two weeks. I'm not sure if that kind of pay can be passed up for long.
 

gogo

Legend
What is Shapo's planning? He can still play juniors next year if I'm correct, and with yesterday's win he's entered the top 300. Just junior Slams whilst slowly moving into challengers with the odd ATP wildcard where it is a good decision?

I saw an interview with him after his Wimbledon Jr win and before he played in the Washington ATP tournament. When asked if he was going in the US Open Jrs, he paused and then said something to the effect of ...well, probably...that's the plan right now. I immediately thought that he was thinking that if he could do reasonably well either in Washington or else in Toronto, then he would hope for a wildcard into US Open qualies and dump the junior circuit altogether. I'm not sure what he would gain by going in the US Open juniors now, other than bragging rights.

I'm guessing that he will dump the junior circuit altogether now. (He didn't go to the AO Jrs earlier this year (partially for monetary reasons), choosing instead to ply the Florida Futures circuit to earn pro points.) Of course I may be wrong.
 

gogo

Legend
If he is still playing as an amateur, he's already forfeited $32K in prize money these past two weeks. I'm not sure if that kind of pay can be passed up for long.

How does it work? Do you have to "declare" that you are going pro before you can earn pro money? Or, is it that once you accept any winnings you can no longer play any junior tourneys? How long would Denis have to decide to accept the prize money?
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
How does it work? Do you have to "declare" that you are going pro before you can earn pro money? Or, is it that once you accept any winnings you can no longer play any junior tourneys? How long would Denis have to decide to accept the prize money?
Once you declare pro, before entering any tournament, you are eligible to be paid as a professional but you can no longer play the purely amateur junior events. You cannot retroactively declare your status.

When playing as an amateur, you receive a percentage of your earnings to cover expenses. It's a fairly high percentage in the Futures, a bit lower in Challengers and lowest when playing ATP.
 

gogo

Legend
Once you declare pro, before entering any tournament, you are eligible to be paid as a professional but you can no longer play the purely amateur junior events. You cannot retroactively declare your status.

When playing as an amateur, you receive a percentage of your earnings to cover expenses. It's a fairly high percentage in the Futures, a bit lower in Challengers and lowest when playing ATP.

Thanks. I never understood how it worked. Much appreciated.
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
Once you declare pro, before entering any tournament, you are eligible to be paid as a professional but you can no longer play the purely amateur junior events. You cannot retroactively declare your status.

When playing as an amateur, you receive a percentage of your earnings to cover expenses. It's a fairly high percentage in the Futures, a bit lower in Challengers and lowest when playing ATP.

I thought a lot of guys go back and forth between playing Challengers and tour level matches?
 
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