Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov upsets Rafael Nadal at Rogers Cup
MONTREAL — Even Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov was amazed he had beaten tennis superstar Rafael Nadal.
The 18-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont. shocked himself, the crowd that roared with every point he scored, and the tennis world with his 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over top-seeded Nadal in the third round of the Rogers Cup on Thursday night at a sold out Uniprix Stadium.
Shapovalov dropped to the ground and covered his face in joy and surprise as the cheers reached deafening levels after the match point fell, completing his comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the third-set tiebreaker.
“It’s what I dreamed of all my life growing up, playing guys like Rafa (Nadal), Roger (Federer), Andy (Murray),” said Shapovalov. “You know, my dream came true today.”