Rafael Nadal will face 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov in the third round of Rogers Cup on Thursday. This is their first meeting.
Shapovalov, who just recently embarked on his professional career, is currently ranked No. 143. With his win over Juan Martin del Potro, Shapovalov became the youngest player to reach the round of 16 of a Master Series tournament since Rafa in 2004 at Miami.
Date: August 10, 2017 (Thursday)
Match time: Around 8:30 PM local time / 8:30 PM EDT – New York / Friday, 1:30 AM BST – United Kingdom / Friday, 2:30 AM CET – Spain, France, Germany, Italy / Friday, 10:30 AM AEDT – Melbourne. To convert to your local time, use this website.
Rafa on playing Shapovalov:
He’s a great opponent. He is an aggressive player. He is young, he has a lot of energy. I’m sure that he will be confident after winning the first match, saving a big match against Dutra Silva, and today winning against one of the best players of the world.
It’s going to be a good match. The crowd is great here, it will not be a problem to play against a Canadian.
GOOD LUCK & VAMOS RAFA!
Unbelievable.
Denis played fantastic tennis, but Rafa should have been able to manage him. Rafa’s serve really sucked, he couldn’t hit FH winners, and his returns were all landing short. That was the loss in a nutshell.
He looked too much like 2015-2016 Rafa tonight, no confidence, playing too defensively.
I worry when MOya isn’t there, that he goes back to old ways.
Fed played like crap today and needed 3 to beat Ferrer. Again, had Fed played Denis, I have zero doubt he would have lost.
But still, Rafa could have done much better than this.
Rafa, what happened?
RAFA ROCKS 150%
Shap just took the 2nd set. Rafa could lose this. He seems totally unprepared for what Shap brings. But what I really notice is how not well Rafa is serving.
This is turning into a shocker.
Rafa, have a great time tonight. Looking forward to another win.
RAFA ROCKS 150%
How can I see the match? My cable does not have Tennis Channel. ugh!!
Can I find it online, or one of the espn channels? I searched yesterday, but none of the espn channels had it.
Pat, today’s matches are on ESPN 2, not Tennis channel.
Reply here to Mac: no reply button on your last comment
“So true Rafalite… Djoker kept Federer in check these past …”
Rafa will have to figure out Fed anew, since Fed seems to have improved his BH and can handle the high balls better.
What I noticed when Rafa played Fed, was with Fed’s monster serving, Rafa could not afford to blow any chances on 2nd serves, and he did. Rafa just has to be extra clutch, then he has a chance.
Djok was so effective because of his excellent ROS–he neutralized Fed’s serve.
I think we can have faith Rafa will play better now than he did in IW and Miami.
I think what often happens when one player starts looking unbeatable (as Djok did in 2016) i s one unlikely players upsets them (with Djok it was vesely in Rome, how well I remember it) then others start seeing it is possible, and play with more belief.
Rafa truly was unbeatable on clay. I don’t think the same is true of Fed on grass or HC–he just hasn’t run into the truly dangerous one. Yet.
Ees el mejor mi campeon Vamos Rafa buena suerte para tu proximo encuentro
Rafa played smart tennis against Coric, taking the ball early, serving well and finding the angles. More of the same against the youngster, Shapovalov, and experience will conqueror!
Do someone have a link to Watch the match ? Batman Stream do not match for me …
Please 🙁
Shap will be tougher than Coric, but Rafa will manage him. I know Shap quite well–he has a lot of power on his groundies, good defense and a really great serve. But Rafa has way more in his arsenal, and all his acquired wisdom on the court.
This should be a very exciting match.
You could well be looking a future #1 in Shap, and a much sooner #1 in Rafa.
Raonic now gone–so the early threats in Rafa’s draw that people were pointing out, Isner, Delpo and Raonic–all gone.
Rafalite, Great comments! I agree with your points. I thought that Sascha Zverev was the problem in Rafa’s draw, but he plays Kyrgios today. In either case, Rafa is number one if he reaches the semis. I do worry that it will be a short time there, but a dream result for Rafa fans. Roger’s draw was a joke and Murray’s withdrawal also makes it easier for him to reach number one. We have to wait and see. For now, there is so much to enjoy.
Hi Va4,
Rafa will most certainly make #1 (shap, then Mann or Chung? It would take a catastrophe not to) and I haven’t done the math on how hard it will be to stay there. He’s still 900 points ahead of Fed. Fed probably wins Cincy but less certain MOntreal with slower courts.
Roger’s draw was indeed a joke. IMO Roger has been riding on 2nd tier opponents all summer. Then Cilic with blisters, we all saw how bad Raonic is lately last night (I did, anyway). AZ played like crap in Halle. Anyway, as always I’m not half as impressed with Fed as the rest of the world is.
It was Djok who could handle Fed best in those slump years of Rafa–and with him first slumping then gone that job now falls to Rafa. I think someone like Querry or Kyrgios fully on could take out Fed. But they’re in Rafa’s half! Remember how close Kyr and Berd came to beating Fed in Miami? What does that say about Fed? They both obliged him by choking on MP or the point before MP in 3rd set TBs.
But unfortunately for Rafa, those 3 losses to Fed got in his head. Rafa seems to be playing better now than he was in the spring HC season, with all the confidence gained at the FO. SO I’m hoping that he can handle Fed now.
I will find another loss to Fed from Rafa just Unbearable.
But yes, so much to enjoy now, after those years of suffering!
———-
It was Djok who could handle Fed best in those slump years of Rafa–and with him first slumping then gone that job now falls to Rafa.
———-
So true Rafalite… Djoker kept Federer in check these past few years:) Now without Djoker, Federer blossoms. Rafa needs to figure out Federer and stop this losing streak against him. I reckon Rafa is up for this challenge – he used to be Federer’s natural predator. He needs to find that killer instinct again, and the good news is, he seems to be getting there:)
All the best of luck champ Rafa. May you conquer the Montreal and lead the world. Vamos Rafa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
“He’s a great opponent.”
Hey, at least Rafa did not say he’s a ‘dangerous’ opponent:):)
Rafa, what’s the difference between a Great opponent and a Dangerous one? Do you approach them differently?
Good luck tonight Rafa!
Flawless against Coric. Good luck and vamos Rafa!
Good luck for the match. Vamos Rafa!