Denis Shapovalov is still upset about being defaulted from his Citi Open quarterfinal match against Ben Shelton two months ago. Before that match, he was starting to gain some momentum after a tough year recovering from a knee injury that kept him out for half a year.
Back when he was just 18, Shapovalov made waves by defeating Rafael Nadal at the Canadian Open, which set high expectations for his career. His biggest success came in 2021 when he reached the Wimbledon semifinals but lost to Novak Djokovic, leaving fans hopeful for more victories.
Shapovalov’s journey has been rocky since then, with inconsistency plaguing his performances and a knee injury adding to his woes. At the Citi Open, however, he seemed to find his rhythm again by beating Roberto Bautista Agut, Adrian Mannarino, and Miomir Kecmanovic before facing Shelton.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ca Denis Shapovalov | 25 | 550 | 9 - 14 |
Controversy Strikes:
During the intense match against Shelton, Shapovalov faced three match points down at 3-6 in a tie-break when things took an unexpected turn. A spectator yelled something at him after losing a point, prompting an instinctive response from Shapovalov. This led umpire Greg Allensworth to call in the ATP supervisor who decided on Shapovalov’s default—an outcome that left him both shocked and angry.
Despite retaining his ranking points and having his fine reduced, Shapovalov expressed frustration over how it all unfolded during comments made at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Frankfurt. “It stayed in my head,” he said. “I was very upset… They sent me a check for $154; it felt like an insult.”
Fans might think this situation seems unfair given other players have done worse without severe punishment.
Shapovalov also criticized how Jannik Sinner‘s doping case was managed and admitted that while he’s gained experience through these challenges—including physical struggles post-injury—maintaining top-level performance consistently remains difficult for him.
As Denis continues navigating ups and downs throughout his career journey—with wins against top players followed by less stellar performances—what do you think lies ahead for him?
