Just a few months ago, very few in the world of tennis knew of Denis Shapovalov.
The 18-year-old was just getting started as a professional and began the season ranked No. 250 in the world ATP rankings.
Yet after a tremendous summer, one in which he defeated Rafael Nadal and weeks later made the Round of 16 at the U.S. Open , Shapovalov is now ranked No. 51 in the world.
So after his rise to fame in the tennis world, it’s only fitting that Shapovalov is participating this week as a member of Team World at the first ever Laver Cup. The competition, similar to professional golf’s Ryder Cup, will kick off its inaugural tournament on Friday in Prague.
Shapovalov's first match is a difficult one as he faces the fourth-ranked player in the world, Alexander Zverev.
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Six of the best European players, or Team Europe, will face off against six of the best players from outside of Europe, or Team World. Four players on each team were selected based on their world ATP ranking, and the final two were selected as a “captain’s pick.”
John McEnroe, the captain of Team World, picked Shapovalov and Juan Martin del Potro to join Jack Sock, Nick Kyrgios, John Isner and Sam Querry. del Potro backed out of the tourney and is replaced by American up-and-comer Frances Tiafoe.
“It’s been a huge year for me, and John McEnroe’s invitation to join Team World at the Laver Cup really tops it off,” Shapovalov said. “To compete against legends like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer is a rare opportunity. I can’t wait to travel to Prague for this new team event. I won’t be taking any of it for granted.”
McEnroe said he’s been impressed by Shapovalov’s ability to succeed in high-pressure events, like he did at the U.S. Open and when he reached the final four at the Rogers Cup in Canada last month.
And Shapovalov’s quick rise in the world standings caught his eye, too.
“Denis Shapovalov has shown that he competes very well under the pressure of big matches,” McEnroe said. “His youthful energy and aggressive style of play will be a great addition to our team at the Laver Cup.”
Shapovalov is fresh off an impressive performance at the Davis Cup last weekend. He won both of his singles rubbers against India in the World Group playoff, defeating Yuki Bahambri in a five-set thriller and Ramkumar Ramanathan in straight sets. The win secured Canada’s seventh-straight invitation to the World Group.
“Clinching for my country is huge,” Shapovalov told the Indian Express . “I grew up wanting to play on the team, and to help my country win this week is a huge honor. It’s honestly the best feeling. I’ll be back for many years to come if I am invited to play. This is right up there with all the rest of the things that have happened of late.”
Nadal, Federer, Marin Cilic, Dominic Theim, Alexander Zverev and Tomas Berdych make up Team Europe, which is captained by Björn Borg.
Team Europe will no doubt be a tough challenge for Shapovalov and company. Nadal and Federer are currently ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the world, respectively. In fact, only Berdych is ranked outside the ATP top-10, coming in at No. 19. In comparison, Querrey is the highest ranked member of Team World, at No. 16.
While McEnroe knows it will be an uphill battle, it’s not insurmountable. And with the way Shapovalov is playing, he could just be the difference.
“We all know that we face a tremendous opposition in Team Europe,” McEnroe said, “but I believe our players will prove that our team is up for the challenge.”