Fans have probably become pros at it by now, but at the time, when Denis Shapovalov upset No. 2 Rafael Nadal at the 2017 Rogers Cup in Montreal last August, millions of tennis enthusiasts likely had to consult the Internet to learn how to pronounce the #NextGenATP Canadian's surname. Read & Watch Flashback: Shapovalov Stuns Nadal At 2017 Montreal By now, however, the 19-year-old left-hander has become a household name for tennis aficionados, a status aided by his semi-final run in Canada, where he become the youngest ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-finalist (since 1990). Last year, Shapovalov also reached the fourth round at the US Open and qualified for the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. (It's “sha-poh-VAH-lov” by...
Seven-time champion Rafael Nadal sent a warning to his rivals on an overcast Wednesday at the Foro Italico in Rome. The top seed improved to 15-1 on red dirt this season by defeating Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-1, 6-0 in just 61 minutes on Court Centrale at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. He will next challenge Canada's Denis Shapovalov, who won their only previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting at the 2017 Roger's Cup. “It was a positive match, of course,” said Nadal. "It was important, after a loss in Madrid, to come back strong. And that's what I did today. I went on court with the right intensity. I don't know how many mistakes I made, but not many....
Follow along as top seed and seven-time champion Rafael Nadal practises ahead of his first match at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia and spends time hitting balls with local children.
