Denis Shapovalov versus Felix Auger-Aliassime...Challenger semi-final

[don_budge]

Some pretty high octane tennis. Interesting stuff from a couple of Canadian teenagers. Having a bit of fun on a Saturday afternoon. Great stuff. Any comments...technical observations?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbJblM3WYpU

For one thing...I like the big lefty serve of Shapovalov. The drive one hand backhand and the forward to the net mentality are big positives as well.

[don_budge]

Denis Shapovalov defeats Vasek Pospisil Guadalajara Challenger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0iIhHxxr2c

Are Canadian tennis players imports? Milos Raonic, Vasek Pospisil, Felix Auger-Aliassime...Denis Shapovalov?

Next up for Shapolvalov...Jerzy Janowicz.

[stotty]

Some pretty high octane tennis. Interesting stuff from a couple of Canadian teenagers. Having a bit of fun on a Saturday afternoon. Great stuff. Any comments...technical observations?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbJblM3WYpU

For one thing...I like the big lefty serve of Shapovalov. The drive one hand backhand and the forward to the net mentality are big positives as well.

Interesting match: pinpoint v platform, one-hander v two-hander, left v righty, baseliner v aggressor.

Both boys have decent serves but Shapovalov does far more with his. He varies his better serve and is much more accurate than Felix.

Felix moves well but as is often the case with good movers, he relies on his movement too much. You cannot move faster than a well struck tennis ball and it's important young players understand this, especially these days. Murray, by his own admission, has been guilty of the same. When you move that well it is so easy to be passive and rely on tracking balls down.

I do like Felix's backhand, more than Shapovalov's.

I like Felix's forehand...it's compact, reliable.

I love the way Shapovalov moves up to the net behind his heavy drives.

I would like to see Felix's serve from different angles and slowed down. There is something I don't like about it but cannot put my finger on it.

Shapovalov deserved it. He looked like he wanted it more and was the aggressor.

[don_budge]

Denis Shapovalov versus Jerzy Janowicz...Guadalajara, Mexico

Both boys have decent serves but Shapovalov does far more with his. He varies his better serve and is much more accurate than Felix.

I love the way Shapovalov moves up to the net behind his heavy drives.

Shapovalov deserved it. He looked like he wanted it more and was the aggressor.

Thanks for the analysis Stotty. The kid has something big time going in that serve of his...beyond being left-handed which gives him an additional 15% in service game capital. The backhand too was very impressive in this match against guess who? Jerzy Janowicz! Jerzy looking to reignite his career and gain some match play confidence. You have to like the Kid Shapovalov having the nose for the net! He should just keep on keeping on in this regard. When they speed up the courts he is going to be prepared. What is the mantra of a tennis player? Preparation...preparation...preparation!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlBvaSJmLWk

The forehand was particularly effective in this match with Janowicz. Jerzy had a devil of a time trying to decipher where the hell the Kid was going with it. Throw in the net play and the big booming left handed serve complete with some rather mature nifty serving tactics...Jerzy was off balance much more than the Kid Shapovalov was. Shapovalov winning 7-6 in the third.

One thing here is Denis Shapovalov showed a real taste for the fight. He liked the dog fight aspect of this match and he had his teeth into it the whole way against a perhaps more experienced player. This is one of those intangibles that great champions have in their DNA. It's something that maybe cannot be coached.

We'll keep an eye on this kid...he looks like a keeper. Jerzy is struggling to find the magic. He looked like a comer a few years ago when we first spotted him in the Paris Indoors but he has gone flat for quite a spell now. He's another victim of the two-hand backhand syndrome. He should have dropped it at the age of 14 or so. Pass this on to the other tennis coaches.