Canuck clash in Cincy: Raonic win sets up rematch with Shapovalov
Top 2 players in Canadian men's singles rankings square off for 2nd time Thursday
Denis Shapovalov was victorious the first time he played fellow Canadian Milos Raonic on the ATP World Tour. The veteran will soon get a chance to avenge that loss.
The top two players in the Canadian men's singles rankings are set to square off Thursday at the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati. Shapovalov booked his third-round ticket with a win over Britain's Kyle Edmund on Tuesday night while Raonic advanced Wednesday with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Tunisian lucky loser Malek Jaziri.
Click on the video player below to watch Raonic's highlights:
"I've watched him for so many years representing Canada so any chance I get to play him and take him on, it's a privilege for me," Shapovalov told the ATP after his win. "So I'm going to go out there and enjoy myself, kind of like I did in Madrid, and hopefully I can play as well."
Shapovalov posted a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Raonic last May on clay in their lone head-to-head competitive meeting. The 19-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., won almost 80 per cent of his first-serve points, calling the win a "huge confidence boost."
Shapovalov moved ahead of Raonic to become the Canadian No. 1 for a few months before losing the position this week.
Contrast in styles
Raonic, 27, held steady at No. 29 in the latest world rankings while Shapovalov slid six spots to No. 32 after losing the points gained from last year's semifinal appearance at the Rogers Cup in Montreal.
The two players offer an interesting contrast in styles. Shapovalov is a flashy left-hander who can be quite demonstrative on court while Raonic, a big-hitting right-hander, prefers a more composed approach.
Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., has won eight career titles since turning pro a decade ago. He reached the final four at the 2016 Australian Open and made it to the Wimbledon final later that season.
"He showed the way for the next generation because Milos was [world] No. 3, in a final of a Grand Slam and in (Slam) semifinals," Tennis Canada vice-president of high performance Louis Borfiga said in a recent interview. "He's had an incredible impact for the young generation.
"Milos is very, very important for the success of Canadian tennis."
Shapovalov, who's still looking for his first career ATP Tour win, leads a solid crop of young domestic tennis talent that includes Felix Auger-Aliassime, Francoise Abanda, Bianca Andreescu and others.
Raonic has battled a host of injuries in recent seasons but has had some good stretches this year, while Shapovalov is trying to build off his breakout rookie campaign.
Likely teammates at Davis Cup
Raonic struggled last week in Toronto, falling in the second round to American Frances Tiafoe. Shapovalov lost in the third round to Robin Haase of the Netherlands.
This week in Cincinnati, Shapovalov beat Tiafoe in the first round while Raonic opened with a victory over Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic.
The Canadians will likely be teammates next month in Davis Cup play in Toronto. Canada will face the Netherlands in a World Group playoff at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.
"The future is really bright, not just for the Rogers Cup but for Davis Cup and also for tennis in Canada," said Rogers Cup tournament director Karl Hale. "So you're looking at a 10-year window of tremendous and new accomplishments for tennis in Canada. So, we are very humble as Canadians, but very excited about the future."
Play at the US$5.67-million Western & Southern Open continues through Sunday.
Djokovic remains in hunt, Zverev falls
Novak Djokovic completed his comeback from elbow surgery by winning Wimbledon for the fourth time. He's inching closer to one of the few titles to elude him throughout his career.
Djokovic overcame an upset stomach and a sluggish first set Wednesday, beating Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 before heavy rain halted afternoon matches at the Western & Southern Open.
Click on the video player below to watch Djokovic's highlights:
The 10th-seeded Djokovic demonstrated he's back in form by winning Wimbledon title last month. Now he's trying to get his hard-court game ready for the U.S. Open, the latest step in his long comeback. He's been very inconsistent while changing from grass to hard courts.
First, he'd love to win a Cincinnati title and complete a personal quest. Djokovic is trying to become the first to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 trophies.
Djokovic has reached the finals at Cincinnati five times and dropped all five matches — three to Roger Federer, two to Andy Murray.
There was one notable upset in the men's bracket before the rain arrived. Robin Haase beat third-seeded Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 for his first victory against a Top 10 opponent since he beat Zverev last November. He's 7-26 overall against Top 10 players.
"Nowadays against Top 10, 20, maybe Top 50, you have to be a little bit lucky," Haase said.
Stephens perseveres, Muguruza meltsdown
In the women's bracket, defending U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens overcame a thumb injury during a 6-3, 6-2 victory over qualifier Tatjana Maria.
A trainer applied a bandage to the third-seeded Stephens' right thumb between the third and fourth games of the second set. The match was Stephens' first since losing on Sunday to Simona Halep in the finals at Montreal.
Sloane reached the semifinals last season in Cincinnati — her best finish — before heading to the U.S. Open and getting the title.
Defending tournament champion Garbine Muguruza had a third-set meltdown and lost to Lesia Tsurenko 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 after a critical double fault.
The seventh-seeded Spaniard was up 4-2 and serving in the third set when she double faulted to drop the game, a look of disbelief coming across her face after her final serve went long. Given the reprieve, Tsurenko closed it out.
Seeded favourites who advanced included No. 4 Angelique Kerber of Germany, who survived a challenge from Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. No. 15 Elise Mertens of Belgium also endured a difficult three-set win, defeating Sweden's Rebecca Peterson 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1), while No. 16 seed Ashleigh Barty of Australia ousted Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 7-5, 6-3.
While second-seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark lasted just one set in her
second-round contest against Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands before retiring due to a left knee injury.
With files from the Associated Press and Field Level Media.