Félix Auger-Aliassime is not the only representative of the maple leaf who arrives at the National Bank Open with a sleep deficit. Denis Shapovalov is also the case. But for very different reasons.
The Ontarian was indeed at the heart of an imbroglio with the ATP that caused a stir in tennis circles. In the quarterfinals of the Washington tournament last week, Shapovalov was disqualified due to insulting remarks he allegedly made toward fans.
The catch is that a disqualification has serious consequences: in addition to losing the match, the player loses his prize money and points in the standings. In Shapovalov’s case, it was a loss of $53,240 and 100 points.
On Monday, however, the ATP announced that it had given the blond back his points and his purse. His $36,400 fine, however, remains in place.
It was very hard for me, I was very stressed afterwards, I had trouble sleeping. I am grateful that the committee gave me back my points and my money. But it is unfair, what happened. I used foul language, but it was not directed at anyone. I was talking towards my dressing room. It had nothing to do with it.
Denis Shapovalov
Support
Shapovalov has been receiving messages of support from his peers. First, directly on the field, where Shapovalov’s opponent, Ben Shelton, is clearly seen coming to his defense.
“Ben defended me during the game, and after the game when we talked about it in the locker room,” the left-hander revealed. “It was me this time, but it could happen to anyone. The rules have to change.”
On Sunday, Vasek Pospisil, co-founder of the Professional Tennis Players Association, was at bat to defend his compatriot, during his pre-tournament press briefing for the National Bank Open. His press briefing lasted 20 minutes, half of which was spent lambasting the ATP. After giving his opinion in French, he gave another one in English.
“It’s okay that there are rules, warnings, disqualification after three warnings. But you shouldn’t lose your points and your money,” Pospisil argued. “Getting disqualified from a match is already a huge penalty. It doesn’t make sense that you lose everything you worked so hard for. If you did something bad enough to deserve a six-month suspension, that’s something else. But it’s very harsh, it’s tyrannical, the way players are treated by the ATP. It’s one-sided.”
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Vasek Pospisil
Shapovalov said his preparation was “easier” now that he’s got his 100 points back. But it’s understandable that he’s not coming into town in top form, to the point where he considered skipping the tournament altogether.
I am very serious when I say that I went two nights without sleep, I could not recover. The decision helped me to relax and focus on the week ahead. I felt such injustice after the game, I wondered if I was going to play this week, if I was going to play at all. I deserved a penalty, but it should never have escalated this much.
Denis Shapovalov
Shapovalov has had his sometimes mercurial temperament on court play tricks on him before. At the 2017 Davis Cup, he accidentally hit the umpire while throwing a ball in frustration and was disqualified.
He will now try to relaunch his career on the field where it took off in 2017. That year, he reached the semi-finals of what was called the Rogers Cup, a journey that took him from 143e at 67e world ranking. He had remained in the top 100 from this moment, with an incursion in 10e place, but a six-month absence last year has excluded him from the top 100 ranks since last November.
His 100 points finally won in Washington, however, took him from 140e at 106e rank. And he will have a great opportunity to add to it, since his 1er tour will pit him against a player from the qualifiers. We will know his identity when the said qualifiers are finished on Tuesday.
Provided Shapovalov has time to recover from his emotions by then, of course.