Hail Shapo

Eighteen-year-old Denis Shapovalov cracked the top 50 this week, becoming the youngest player to do so since an 18-year-old Rafael Nadal in 2004. Congrats to Shapo.

Shapo is good. Canada loves Shapo. The whole world loves Shapo. One widely cited reason for loving him is that his game is “easy on the eyes.” But what exactly does this mean? Maybe this, from his first-round Shanghai Masters match today, will help explain:

Shapovalov would go on to lose that match 6-7 (3) 6-3, 6-0, but deserves all my respect for attempting not one but two Air Shapo shots in a single rally, and then smugly looking over the crowd to make sure they were appreciating the show.

Good Shapo.