Everybody has a favorite season. Somebody must ask him to make sure, however primarily based on his tennis, Denis Shapovalov seems to be a fall particular person.
It appears as if yearly because the leaves begin to flip crimson, the Canadian begins to seek out his greatest tennis. That was the case final week when he was at his flashy greatest to kick off an abbreviated 2022 ATP Asian Swing.
Right here’s what it’s good to know:
In Case You Missed It: Shapovalov discovering his A-game
Whereas many big-name gamers wrestle within the post-US Open interval, usually attributable to put on and tear on the finish of a protracted season, Denis Shapovalov has usually flourished within the closing months of the 12 months.
Of the 5 finals he has reached in his profession, 4 have come after the season’s closing main. The fifth such closing was final week on the Korea Open in Seoul.
It was a powerful week for the Canadian No. 2, as he tore by way of the sector on his solution to the ultimate with out dropping a set. Nonetheless, he was beaten in the title match by Yoshihito Nishioka, who beat three seeds, Shapovalov, No. 1 Casper Ruud and No. 5 Dan Evans, on his solution to his second profession title.
Nonetheless, reaching the Seoul closing was Shapovalov’s greatest results of 2022 and was his first title match in nearly a 12 months.
Vasek Pospisil additionally had a season-best outcome final week, reaching the quarter-finals of the Tel Aviv Open.
Not solely did Pospisil attain the final eight of a tour-level occasion for under the second time in 2022, he gave the eventual champion Novak Djokovic all he might deal with of their quarter-final conflict, pushing the top seed for two hours earlier than Djokovic completed him off.
Pospisil obtained into the draw as a fortunate loser and upset eighth seed Tallon Griekspoor within the first spherical. He then beat Edan Leshem in straight units to set the Djokovic conflict. The 7-6(5), 6-3 win for Djokovic was his hardest throughout the occasion.
The Serb went on to beat Marin Cilic for the title.
There was a first-time champion on the ATP Tour final week, with Marc-Andrea Huesler claiming the title in Sofia, Bulgaria by defeating Holger Rune within the closing.
On the WTA Tour, the ultimate clay court docket crown was gained by Mayar Sherif, who upset world No. 7 Maria Sakkari to assert her first profession title on the Parma Girls Open in Italy.
Within the course of, Sherif turned the primary girl from Egypt to win a title on the WTA Tour.
Sakkari was the heavy favorite on the occasion as the one High 25 participant within the draw however struggled early, needing to rally from a set down in every of her first three matches. She was crushed by Sherif within the closing in straight units.
On the Tallinn Open in Estonia, Barbora Krejcikova broke the hearts of the host nation by defeating dwelling favorite Anett Kontaveit in straight units to assert her first title of the season. Krejcikova defeated the highest two seeds back-to-back to take the title.
The semifinals in Tallinn delighted the house crowd, as Kontaveit defeated Kaia Kanepi in an all-Estonian semi.
What to Watch: Deep fields throughout the excursions
It’s a loaded week on each excursions with three 500 occasions, two on the ATP Tour and one on the WTA, that includes lots of the world’s greatest gamers.
Carlos Alcaraz can be competing in his first ATP Tour occasion because the world No. 1 this week on the Astana Open, though he can have his arms full within the first spherical in opposition to David Goffin.
The sphere in Astana is extremely robust and options six of the world’s High 10 together with Alcaraz, Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Djokovic, Andrey Rublev, and Hubert Hurkacz.
Félix Auger-Aliassime was additionally competing in Astana, however fell sufferer to an unkind draw and was crushed by Roberto Bautista Agut within the first spherical.
Denis Shapovalov will look to hold his good kind into the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships the place he’s the seventh seed. He opens in opposition to American Steven Johnson and is in the identical quarter as Cincinnati champion Borna Coric.
Casper Ruud is the highest seed in Tokyo, headlining a draw that additionally consists of Taylor Fritz, Nick Kyrgios, Frances Tiafoe, Alex de Minaur and the Seoul Champion Yoshihito Nishioka.
The Agel Open 2022 in Ostrava, Czech Republic encompasses a powerhouse WTA 500 draw that features 4 of the world’s High 10.
World No. 1 Iga Świątek is competing in her first occasion since profitable the US Open. She is joined by Paula Badosa, Anett Kontaveit and Maria Sakkari.
Ostrava options the lone Canadian girl competing on the principle tour this week, as Eugenie Bouchard managed to qualify for the principle draw and can meet sixth seed Belinda Bencic within the first spherical.
Different huge names within the Ostrava draw embrace Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, Nationwide Financial institution Open runner-up Beatriz Haddad Maia, World No. 11 Daria Kasatkina, and main champions Petra Kvitova, Jelena Ostapenko, Barbora Krejcikova, Victoria Azarenka, and Emma Raducanu, who meets Kasatkina in a blockbuster first-round conflict.
Ons Jabeur will get the prospect to play in entrance of her dwelling crowd this week in Tunisia, as she is the highest seed on the Jasmin Open Monastir, at 250 occasion. She is joined by world No. 12 Veronika Kudermetova and the persistent Alize Cornet in Monastir.
Underneath the Radar:
Christian Lakoseljac was the one Canadian to succeed in the quarter-finals of a singles occasion on the ITF Tour final week, attending to the final eight in Albuquerque.
A number of Canadian males are competing in ATP Challenger occasions this week, together with Davis Cup staff member Alexis Galarneau on the Tiburon Challenger in the US.
There may be additionally a big Canadian contingent on the ITF M15 occasion in Ithica, New York, the place 9 Canadian males are competing.
You may observe the Canadians in motion each week here.
