Denis Shapovalov has all the makings of a superstar. He oozes a natural swagger, flair and youthful exuberance in his all-court tennis game. Off court, his friendly and endearing personality makes him easily approachable for fans and media alike.
For someone who feeds off crowd energy and electricity, one could forgive Shapovalov if he did not play his best tennis at the US Open in the first major during the COVID-19 pandemic. Players were returning from a near six-month hiatus, adapting to strict health protocols, and just getting back in the flow of match play. Shapovalov played just two matches at the Western & Southern Open the week before transitioning to the best-of-five challenge that a tennis major poses.
Instead, the 21-year-old Canadian has made a statement, reaching the final eight of a grand slam for the first time in his career while notching impressive wins along the way, including a five-set comeback thriller over American Taylor Fritz and a four-set victory over world No. 10 David Goffin.
Shapovalov, like the remainder of the men’s field, has also been given an unexpected reprieve. The title hopes of world No. 1 and massive favourite Novak Djokovic were vanquished on Sunday in the fourth round after he struck an errant tennis ball in frustration that by sheer fluke hit a lineswoman in the throat. Djokovic was, as the rulebook dictates, defaulted from the match and tournament, granting Spain’s Pablo Carreño Busta a berth to the quarterfinals.
Djokovic’s absence spells opportunity for the rest of the field, as a first-time grand slam champion will be crowned at the end of the week. Shapovalov, rather than facing the daunting task of Djokovic ahead of him, now awaits the 27th-ranked Spaniard.
The Matchup
Carreño Busta leads the head-to-head vs. Shapovalov, 3-1
Stylistically, Shapovalov certainly looks like the more dangerous player of the two. He has great firepower from the baseline, has shown an eagerness to come to net this tournament, and can go big with the lefty serve, totalling 68 aces through four matches. He has also been lethal on return of serve, winning a tournament-leading 109 points off second serves.
What can potentially disrupt Shapovalov’s aggressive baseline game though is Carreño Busta’s brilliant ability to counterpunch, and his great consistency and movement. The Spaniard doesn’t have overpowering shots, but he can redirect balls around the court, and his two-handed backhand is a formidable shot. Such skills pushed him to a semifinal appearance at the US Open in 2017, and a career-high ranking of 10th in the world.
He’s also given Shapovalov trouble in the past. He has won all three hard-court meetings between them, most recently beating Shapovalov 6-3, 7-5 last October at the Vienna Open.
If Shapovalov can impose his firepower and shot-making early and often, and continue his high-level serving, he will be knocking on the door of a first-ever grand slam semifinals appearance. If Carreño Busta extends points into lengthy rallies of attrition, his consistency will most often prevail.
Let the fun begin.
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