Sports
Rafa, bidding to reclaim the No.1 ranking in Montreal, is stunned by 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov in a thrilling finish.
Updated : Aug 11, 2017, 10:27 AM IST
Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov delighted his home fans when he battled from a set down to record a stunning upset victory over top seed Rafael Nadal in the third round of the Rogers Cup on Thursday.
The lanky wild card kissed the Montreal court after completing a rousing 3-6 6-4 7-6(4) triumph as the 18-year-old became the youngest player to ever reach the quarter-finals of an ATP Masters 1000 event.
The early exit also denied world number two Nadal a chance to take over from the absent Andy Murray at the top of the rankings, a position the Spaniard would have regained for the first time since 2014 had he advanced to the semi-finals.
Shapovalov showed no sign of nerves in their first ever meeting, the left-hander playing the more aggressive tennis by utilising his huge forehand on roundhouse swings and frequently attacking the net.
The teenager's quixotic bid looked doomed in the third set tiebreaker when he fell 3-0 behind but the world number 143 refused to buckle and only coughed up one more point in the decider. As a reward for his unlikely victory, the 2016 Wimbledon junior champion will next face 29-year-old Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Elsewhere, world number three Roger Federer dropped his first set since June but the Swiss recovered to dispatch Spaniard David Ferrer 4-6 6-4 6-2 in their last 16 meeting.
Federer was sloppy from the outset on centre court, sending routine forehands wide and providing the underdog Ferrer with early break opportunities in the Montreal encounter. Ferrer capitalised by winning the opener to end Federer's streak of 32 consecutive sets won, a record that dates back to his defeat to Tommy Haas at the Stuttgart Open on June 14.
"He had a good start, I had a better finish," Federer told reporters after the match.
Frustration boiled over for the Australian Open and Wimbledon champion in the second set after he misfired with an overhead smash. Federer, who turned 36 this week, responded by hitting a ball into the stands, earning a reprimand but no official ball abuse call from the umpire.
The outburst appeared to steady the Swiss, whose serve and overall accuracy improved as the two-hour match progressed. Ferrer has now lost all of his 17 contests against Federer, who is also vying to take the world number one spot from the injured Murray.
Next up for Federer is a quarter-final against 12th-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, who defeated Frenchman Gael Monfils 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(2) in a marathon tussle.
In other tournament action, American Jared Donaldson lost to Diego Schwartzman 0-6 7-5 7-5, while his countryman Sam Querrey was thrashed 6-4 6-1 by Kevin Anderson of South Africa.
Australian Nick Kyrgios fell 6-4 6-3 to fourth seed Alexander Zverev as the German finally claimed victory over his opponent in their third meeting of the season.
Camera's in the air in Montréal. It must be @rogerfederer time... #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/MdjC1nYocw
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2017
David Ferrer is bringing out the big guns against Roger Federer in Montréal. #CoupeRogers
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2017
Watch LIVE : https://t.co/kRsZ9udpkC pic.twitter.com/bFkSvMJADY
Roger Federer's run of winning 32 sets in a row is over.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2017
And it's a familiar face that snaps the streak...#CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/2GPIRnrM0h
What to do when your run of 32 consecutive sets won is snapped?
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2017
Start another streak!
Watch set 3 LIVE : https://t.co/kRsZ9udpkC pic.twitter.com/OED9bnZCXK
Roger Featherer #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/Uiq6bAbEmS
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2017
Slow start, peRFect finish.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2017
Federer wins his 14th straight. #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/ffyEkkGQvk
A sublime serve-and-volley to clinch the victory. @rogerfederer is into the #CoupeRogers quarterfinal.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2017
pic.twitter.com/3lWv3O6tsD
#CoupeRogers @rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/gbVT5o9Dkw
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2017
Yowza! Rafa's pre-match sprint scores a knockdown on this poor cameraman!
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
And we're ready for action on Court Central! pic.twitter.com/L9n1QPaxP7
Nadal catches Shapovalov with a patented buggywhip forehand.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
And claims the opener.
Watch Set 2 LIVE : https://t.co/kRsZ9uv0ca pic.twitter.com/9SxzPIalKX
And the crowd goes WILD.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
Sensational get from the 18-year-old.#CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/5Exxh1EdRY
Shapovalov is all fired up.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
And we're going three! #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/uc6J2zRyLe
GIGANTIC #Vamos #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/dGzW2Nf1lA
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
How long is this game?
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
This long! #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/410oXshe4A
When an 18-year-old won't do what you tell him to do... #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/7TQ0voLVNS
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
Mood.#CoupeRogers @denis_shapo pic.twitter.com/Z5wgT7769N
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
Montréal is rocking for @denis_shapo...#CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/sOKj4KnH66
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
Rafa battle lust. #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/RoA5rvFF91
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
Thrills. Chills. Victory!
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
18-year-old Denis Shapovalov STUNS Rafael Nadal for the biggest win of his career! #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/xlgYMV29aw
What a talent. What a win. What a night.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
The courtside view of @denis_shapo's sensational win over Rafael Nadal... #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/4q1LcFs1WO
Kiss that court, Denis #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/slWT94CGGQ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
And the place goes #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/We0UmHl1dU
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
A tough one for Rafa, who was two wins from returning to No.1, but his champion's heart never missed a beat. #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/mT1QPSXKr3
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
A star has been born. Remember the name.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
#CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/GCukr4cIGA
We had all angles covered...@denis_shapo #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/pYCD3ygbBO
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
Winning fans over around the world, but no more so than in Montréal. @denis_shapo has *just* a few autographs to sign... #CoupeRogers pic.twitter.com/3WfXwzEqzJ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
“I know he says juniors don’t come to net a lot, but I think I come in quite a bit!’
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 11, 2017
Who did @denis_shapo model his game off? pic.twitter.com/TGNw4FeuIH
(Inputs from Reuters)