Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov on Thursday night upset top-seeded Rafael Nadal 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) in the third round.
The 18-year-old Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ontario, advanced to a quarter-final with France’s Adrian Mannarino, who defeated Hyeon Chung of South Korea 6-3, 6-3.
“It’s what I dreamed of all my life growing up, playing guys like Rafa, Roger [Federer], Andy [Murray],” Shapovalov said. “You know, my dream came true today.”
Photo: AP
Shapovalov has taken major strides this week to reach his goal of cracking the world’s top 100 with wins over Rogerio Dutra Silva and 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro.
He also halted Nadal’s bid to regain the No. 1 ranking, which the Spaniard could have achieved by reaching the semi-finals.
Shapovalov battled back after Nadal cruised through the first set, then erased a 3-0 deficit in the tiebreaker for the biggest victory of his career.
Shapovalov became the youngest player to reach the tournament’s quarter-finals since Bjorn Borg in 1974.
With hockey great Wayne Gretzky and Olympic swimming star Penny Oleksiak cheering for him from the seats, he also became the youngest quarter-finalist at a Masters Series tournament ever and is the youngest to beat a player ranked in the top two in the world since Nadal beat Federer in 2004 in Miami.
“He has a great potential. I wish him the best. He has everything to become a great player. He played with the right determination in the important moments,” Nadal said.
Meanwhile, Federer overcame a weak first set to post a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Spaniard David Ferrer in an earlier third-round match.
In the quarter-finals, the second-seeded Federer is to face 12th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, who outlasted Frenchman Gael Monfils 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-2) on center court.
Unseeded Argentine Diego Schwartzman posted a strange win over American Jared Donaldson 0-6, 7-5, 7-5 to advance to a quarter-final meeting with 52nd-ranked Dutchman Robin Haase.
Kevin Anderson of South Africa downed American Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-1 and is to next play fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, who ousted 16th-seeded Nick Kyrgios 6-4, 6-3.
In the women’s contest, Karolina Pliskova advanced to the quarter-finals when Japanese qualifier Naomi Osaka was forced to retire because of an injury.
The world’s top-ranked player moved on with a 6-2, 6-7 (7-4), 1-0 victory when Osaka had to retire because of an abdominal injury.
It was not immediately clear when Osaka suffered the injury. She was in form during the tiebreaker, firing a service winner to convert her second set point under the warm sun.
The world’s No. 50 player received treatment after the match and did not speak to reporters.
Pliskova is to move on to play sixth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who defeated 10th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-3, 6-1.
Second-seeded Simona Halep of Romania needed only 59 minutes to breeze by Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-0, while American Sloane Stephens upset third-seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-2.
Later on Thursday, fifth-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina defeated American Venus Williams 6-2, 6-1, and Spain’s Garbine Muguruza beat Australian qualifier Ashleigh Barty 6-0, 3-6, 6-2.
In doubles, Taiwan’s Chuang Chia-jung and Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic fell to American Nicole Melichar and Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-4, 6-3.
Additional reporting by staff writer
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two