NEW YORK — Entering the 2017 U.S. Open main draw, Denis Shapovalov had momentum. A relative unknown then, the plucky Canadian battled his way through three rounds of qualifying just to earn his spot in the main draw. At just 18, he turned the tennis world on its ear when he surged all the way to the Round of 16.
Now in 2019, he comes to Flushing Meadows with a similar set-up, following a semifinal run at the Winston-Salem Open in North Carolina.
“I think it was a great call for me to go to Winston-Salem to get a couple more matches in cause I knew, even [though] I was playing well at Rogers Cup and Cincinnati, you get some tough draws,” noted Shapovalov, 20, on Sunday. “I beat some top players there, beat some really good guys. Andrey [Rublev’s] been playing good tennis, same as Miomir [Kecmanovic].
"So, I think the confidence is there. I think it’s just about taking a couple of days here, getting used to the courts, getting used to New York conditions and I’m sure that I’ll be fine.”
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Getting used to the conditions and the lively atmosphere in New York is one thing, but Shapovalov does have a built-in comfort level in regards to his opponent. He’ll be facing countryman, and friend, Félix Auger-Aliassime in the first round — again.
“I texted him [when I saw the draw], like yeah, I think we’re going to be playing each other for the rest of our lives here,” the Richmond Hill, Ont., native said with a big smile and an even bigger laugh. “Regardless if we’re both seeded; doesn’t matter, they’re going to put us first round.”
Jokes aside, the match will be a tough one for the elder statesman Shapovalov. Despite the irony of the match occurring exactly one year later — on the exact same court, at approximately the same time — the difference is the two competitors. Auger-Aliassime, 19, is now the rising star and has quickly become the top Canadian on the men’s side; he is now ranked 19th in the world and is the 18th seed at the U.S. Open. Last year it was Shapovalov who was the seeded player (28), winning the match after Auger-Aliassime had to retire.
"It's definitely a tough matchup," Shapovalov said. "He's been playing unbelievable all year, all season, so it's definitely a tough one but I managed to pick it up a little bit last couple of weeks . . . I feel pretty confident, pretty ready."
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While facing a countryman in the opening round is unfortunate, Shapovalov, who enters this year's tournament ranked 33rd in the world, is aware he could have been matched up with one of the Big 3 — Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal — in the first round. As he said, "I'm looking at the positive." Well, considering he and Auger-Aliassime have known each other since juniors and played each other back when they were still pre-teens, the match has an added layer of familiarity.
“It definitely helps to know each other,” he noted. “Obviously growing up [playing together], we know what the other guy likes, doesn’t like but I think we kinda, or at least I try, to go about it the same way. Still study his latest matches, what he’s been feeling, where he’s been playing off of and go from there.”
For Shapovalov, he's feeling confident with his game, his fitness and is entering the tournament on a bit of a roll. Now, if only he can duplicate a double-bagel win he had over Auger-Aliassime when they were kids, or as the younger Canadian told him, "when you destroyed me," Shapovalov will be just fine.