Miami Open 2019: Denis Shapovalov bounced from tournament by idol Roger Federer

Mark Suleymanov

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Miami Open 2019: Denis Shapovalov bounced from tournament by idol Roger Federer image

So much for an all-Canadian final at the Miami Open.

Just hours after Felix Auger-Aliassime lost to John Isner in the semifinals, Denis Shapovalov suffered a 6-2, 6-4 defeat at the hands of his childhood idol, Roger Federer, on Friday night.

Shapovalov was visibly nervous against the 20-time Grand Slam champion, who needed just one hour and 12 minutes to dispatch the Ontario product. Federer won the first set in just 36 minutes despite the first game taking more than 10 minutes.

"The long first game helped me get a read on his serve and I came out of the blocks well," Federer said after the match.

The 37-year-old Federer broke the 19-year-old Shapovalov twice in the early stages, setting the tone for what would be a relatively stress-free victory. Federer, a three-time Miami Open champion, relied on a dominant first serve, winning 91 percent of his initial offerings. 

Federer joked postmatch that Shapovalov was not even alive when he embarked on his first professional tour season in 1998 — and that motivated him in Friday's matchup.

"I told my daughters before I walked out tonight that he wasn't even born yet when I actually played on the pro tour already," Federer said, per ATP. "So they're like, 'What? Hold on a second.' They did the calculations. 'So this guy's really young?' I was like, 'Yeah, I'm really old.' But it's all good. It definitely gives me an extra pep. No doubt about it."

Federer will now prepare to face Isner in the tournament final Sunday, aiming for his 28th ATP Masters 1000 title.

Mark Suleymanov