MADRID, May 12, 2018
Alexander Zverev and Denis Shapovalov will go head-to-head in a battle of the young guns in the semi-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open on Saturday.
Zverev was in Friday’s late night action edging past No. 7 seed John Isner 6-4, 7-5. The 21-year-old German was in control of the rematch of the Miami Open final, won by the US-American on 1 April. Zverev didn’t face a break point and broke serve two times to prevail after one hour and 18 minutes.
Third straight Masters 1000 semi-final for Sascha Zverev!
Gets revenge on Isner 6-4 7-5…#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/Bd47IeCGbq
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) 11. Mai 2018
Shapovalov beats Edmund
Earlier on Court Arantxa Sanchez, Shapovalov battled past Kyle Edmund 7-5, 6-7, 6-4. The #NextGenATP Canadian struck 11 aces, winning 80 per cent of his first service points to seal victory in two hours and 28 minutes.
“I’m happy again to be in the semi-finals,” Shapovalov said. “I never knew when my next time being in a semis would be. I’m more than thrilled to be there. Hopefully I can go even further.”
Shine bright like a 💎
It’s a second ATP Masters 1000 semi-final for @denis_shapo, who downs Edmund 7-5 6-7(6) 6-4#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/KxcMCbER6l
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) 11. Mai 2018
Shapovalov is the youngest quarterfinalist and semi-finalist in history of the Mutua Madrid Open. If the 19-year-old Tel Aviv native beats Zverev on Saturday, he will be the youngest ATP Masters 1000 finalist since 18-year-old Richard Gasquet at 2005 Hamburg. A title would make Shapovalov the youngest ATP Masters 1000 champion since 18-year-old Rafael Nadal at 2005 Rome.
Shapovalov already owns records as the youngest quarterfinalist and semi-finalist in ATP Masters 1000 history (since 1990). He reached the stage of the final four at Montreal last year as an 18-year-old wild card, defeating Nadal before falling to his fellow #NextGenATP player Zverev. If Shapovalov avenges his loss to Zverev, he will pass Milos Raonic in the ATP Rankings on Monday to become the No. 1 Canadian. Shapovalov defeated Raonic 6-4, 6-4 in the Madrid third round this past Thursday.
Yet, Zverev will be a tough task. He is the only player to reach five ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals in the last year, highlighted by titles at Rome and Montreal in 2017. If he adds the Madrid championship on Sunday, Zverev will become the fifth active player with at least three ATP Masters 1000 titles, joining Nadal (31), Novak Djokovic (30), Roger Federer (27) and Andy Murray (14).
