Rafael Nadal, who had been away from tennis for some time, had plenty of chances to get back into the swing of things at this year’s Australian Open.
He’s 35 years old and just returned from an injury that kept him out of the competition for a while. Defeated Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in a three-set final to earn his 21st Grand Slam singles championship.
Nadal’s opponent in the quarterfinals, Canadian Denis Shapovalov, claimed he benefited from Nadal’s favour, but on Tuesday, he was readily detected in the defensive. 6 hours, 3 minutes, 6 seconds, 4 hours, 8 minutes.
In Response to the Young Canadian Shapovalov’s Charge, Nadal Gently Refuted it. I Disagree With Him,” Nadal Argued.
When Shapovarov played an anxious, error-filled game and lost the serve in the opening game of the fifth set, he did not help his cause, as Rod Laver noted immediately after Shapovarov’s final. After being soundly defeated, the volley slammed the racket on the arena’s blue hard court and drifted significantly. That was in stark contrast to Nadal, who had never broken his racket with fury during a match in his professional career for nearly 20 years.
Although Shapovalov was the first nine-year-old ball boy to meet Nadal at the Canadian Open in Montreal, the Spanish champion left him feeling unsatisfied. But then, in his first match of 2017, he suffered a heartbreaking Hollywood-style defeat in the same place.
Even if Shapovalov didn’t hold back on Tuesday, his rounded eyes suggest he previously was a Spaniard. Nadal protested throughout the play and after the match that he was given extra time between points.
As soon as Carlos Bernardes, the chair umpire, blew his whistle after Nadal’s first set victory, Nadal got up from the table and changed into his celebration attire. Shapovalov picked up the ball and got ready to serve while he waited. Shapovalov contacted Bernardes and suggested Nadal should have been penalised for the delay when Nadal finally got on the court around 45 seconds after Bernardes’ declaration.
Bernardes objected, Shapovalov returned to the baseline, and Nadal contacted Bernardes again, stating he wasn’t ready yet. Bernardes replied: “You’re not ready to play since you came to chat to me.”
“Are you serious?” Shapovalov claimed he would retreat. To this they all said, “You guys are horrible.”
The 22-year-old Shapovalov did not receive a code violation for the remark, but the Australian Open may punish or sanction him following additional inquiry. Shapovalov stated, “I think I told the wrong story,” afterward, expressing regret. Although he was still on the serve clock for a few seconds, he got into another heated confrontation with Bernardes as Nadal was getting ready to serve the second game of the second set. Nadal walked up to the goal post. Shapovalov met him there and quick exchange play resumed.
Rafa didn’t even notice, Shapovalov claimed. To paraphrase: “Rafa was serving. The referee appeared to be glancing in Rafa’s direction. The official’s eyes were pointing directly at me. As for me, I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.
On the other hand, Shapovalov kept his mouth shut when asked about Nadal. Nadal said he had been briefly examined in court for stomach troubles after the fourth set, but he extended the break before the deciding set in order to comply with the spirit of the law. It’s like a mix between a medical checkup and a trip to the bathroom.
Last Words
I think he’s completely wrong,” Nadal stated in Shapovalov’s native Spanish. As the saying goes, “It hurts to lose a match like this. It’s no secret that I have feelings for Dennis. I believe he is a decent human being who have the ability to win numerous Grand Slam titles. Sorry, I’d rather not argue. However, I disagree with him and believe he is wrong. He’s young and makes mistakes while he’s young. “
