It would have been difficult for Denis Shapovalov to come up against a tougher opponent than Alex de Minaur in the first round. However, the Canadian was happy to be able to face him from the start.
Posted at 9:29 p.m.
As in his native Australia, de Minaur has the wind in his sails these days. He won the Atlanta tournament just a week ago, he reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon and he lost in the semi-finals at Eastbourne just before.
In the latest ATP rankings, de Minaur jumped nine places, to 21e position, one rank ahead of Shapovalov.
However, the Canadian was all in all happy to have a nice challenge to take up in the first round, in order to pick up the pace quickly in the tournament.
“Starting with a game like this could give me a lot of confidence. It will be extremely difficult, but it will be fun and I hope I can win,” Shapo explained at a press conference on Sunday afternoon.
The Ontarian confirms that the two players know each other very well, since they have been playing each other since their adolescence, in the juniors. This means that Shapovalov is not sailing towards the unknown and that in the circumstances, it is rather good news: “We have already played several close matches against each other in the past. […], so obviously, it’s exciting. We know each other very well. It will be fun for everyone. »
It must be admitted that it is rather difficult for the left-hander for more than a year; in fact, since his Wimbledon semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic last year.
Since then, the electric, precise and surly Shapo of yesteryear has remained discreet. His main problem is the lack of consistency.
He’s 17-15 so far this year, but he’s still trying to build on the positives, like his start to the season when he helped Canada win the ATP Cup in January. Otherwise, the current situation does not worry him too much.
“I don’t worry too much, I could have won some games. I continue to work hard,” he said.
Then, if it was in 2017, when he beat Rafael Nadal on the Center Court of the IGA stadium, that he revealed himself to the whole world, he does not see the 2022 edition of the National Bank Open as an opportunity to finally start fresh or relaunch the season. “I don’t want to change the situation. Everything is fine on my side, I play good tennis. »
His goal is always the same and he admits that he mainly wants to have fun to please the people in the stands. “That’s why I play tennis. I always dreamed of playing this tournament. So for me to still have the chance to play here and see how far I can go while putting on a show for the fans is my ultimate goal,” he added.
Auger-Aliassime back from Mexico
Félix Auger-Aliassime also granted some media time on Sunday, just hours after landing in Montreal. On the night of Friday to Saturday, the Quebecer lost in the semifinals of the tournament in Los Cabos, Mexico.
PHOTO CARLOS PEREZ GALLARDO, REUTERS
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Although he still looked a little drawn, due to the lack of sleep and the trip, he was very happy to finally be back home. In the proper sense of the term.
“What’s good this week is that I can stay with my parents, so I’m quiet. I don’t need to be at the hotel with the other players. I can prepare quietly at home,” said the 22-year-old.
This week could be decisive for whoever takes the role of headliner of the tournament. Now ranked ninth in the world, he is aware that things have changed since his last visit to the IGA stadium in 2019.
I’m a different player and young man too. I feel much calmer and I hope my results will show it.
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Auger-Aliassime benefits from a bye in the first round and will play against a player from the qualifiers in the second round. He is expected to play his first game on Wednesday.