This new edition of the Davis Cup has attracted a lot of criticism for both the new format and the overall organization. However, there is somebody that is having really a lot of fun: Denis Shapovalov.
The Canadian loves defending the colors of his country, and he gets extremely focused when playing the Davis Cup. Denis was meant to side with his dear friend Felix Auger Aliassime in this edition, but the 19-year-old has been struggling with an issue to his ankle. Therefore he was replaced by an inspired Vasek Pospisil. Ranked no.150, the Canadian is trying to find his best form after a back surgery that made him skip the first part of the season. However, Pospisil bounced back in style during this Davis Cup to play great tennis.
The Canadian team reached the semifinal in Madrid after beating team Australia 2-1. While Shapovalov lost to an inform Alex De Minaur 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to Alex de Minaur, Pospisil defeated John Millman 7-6 (7) 6-4. Denis and Vasek defeated Australia’s John Peers and Jordan Thompson 6-4, 6-4 in the decisive doubles.
Pospisil commented: “As soon as we decided the team, from the first point we were just going maximum intensity, energy, focus,” Pospisil said. “We came very focused.”
Copa Davis | Canadá despachó a Australia y será rival de Rusia en semifinales. Los resultados:
Pospisil (🇨🇦) a Millman (🇦🇺) 7-6,6-4
De Miñaur (🇦🇺) a Shapovalov (🇨🇦) 3-6,6-3,7-5
Pospisil/Shapovalov (🇨🇦) a Peers/Thompson (🇦🇺) 6-4,6-4. pic.twitter.com/GjktRTbY6l— Drive Cruzado (@DriveCruzado) November 22, 2019
Next vs. Russia (Khachanov and Rublev)
Team Canada will face Russian in the semifinal that managed to oust Team Serbia in the quarters. Karen Khachanov and Andrei Rublev seem to be the favorite to reach the final, but the Canadians are really on a roll.
In the other semifinal, Spain will face Great Britain.
Denis Shapovalov’s ranking and performance in 2019
Ranked no.15 (career-high), the Canadian played his last match on the 3rd of November when he was defeated by Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-4 in the final in Paris.
This year Denis has a 33-25 win-loss record. Shapovalov has won 1 title in Stockholm. Denis was the finalist in Paris.
Karen Khachanov’s ranking and performance in 2019
Ranked no.17, the Russian played his last match on the 29th of October when he had to bow to Jan-Lennard Struff 7-65 3-6 7-5 in the 2nd round in Paris.
Karen Khachanov’s best performance of this season was reaching the semi-finals in Beijing and Montreal.
Denis Shapovalov and Karen Khachanov have never played each other.
Denis Shapovalov and Karen Khachanov |
| Embed from Getty Images |
