Teen phenom Shapovalov headlines Canada’s Davis Cup roster for India tie
TORONTO — As far as learning experiences go, Denis Shapovalov endured a doozy the last time he was on court for Canada in Davis Cup play.
The rising tennis star fired a ball in frustration that struck the chair umpire in the face and resulted in a match disqualification last February. Britain advanced with the victory while Canada fell into a qualification playoff.
The 18-year-old Shapovalov will soon get a chance to atone for his actions. He’ll headline a lineup tasked with keeping Canada in the elite World Group for 2018 in next week’s tie against India at Edmonton’s Northlands Coliseum.
“For him, that February incident is very far behind him,” Canadian captain Martin Laurendeau told a conference call Tuesday. “He’s had a lot of pressure situations since and he’s shown how he’s improved and how he can manage his emotions through the ups and downs of a match.