For the second time in three weeks, Canada’s Denis Shapovalov will play in an ATP final.
But while he was easily able to defeat Filip Krajinovic in Stockholm – for his first ATP title – Shapovalov’s challenger at the Paris Masters is 16-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.
Like most who face Djokovic, Shapovalov’s record against the Serbian isn’t very good. In three meetings, all in 2019, Shapovalov has only managed to take just one set.
But there’s a reason they play the matches. Anything can happen.
Here’s how Shapovalov and Djokovic stack up ahead of Sunday’s final in the French capital.
| Denis Shapovalov | Novak Djokovic | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 20 | 32 |
| Ranking | 28 | 1 |
| Handness | Left | Right |
| Head to head | 0-3 | 3-0 |
| Career Win/Loss | 80-69 | 884-185 |
| Career Titles | 1 | 76 |
| Career Earnings | $3,958,313 | $135,851,985 |
A one-sided rivalry
The first three meetings between Shapovalov and Djokovic have been predictably one-sided. Not only has Djokovic won all three, but Shapovalov has only managed to win one set.
The two had never met before the 2019 season, and first clashed at the Australian Open in January, where Djokovic won 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0. Djokovic then won 6-1, 6-3 at May’s Masters event in Rome and 6-3, 6-3 at the October Masters event in Shanghai. All three meetings came in the Round of 32.
In each match, Djokovic put together a clinic and Shapovalov wasn’t given many break chances. The Canadian only had six break opportunities across the three matches, while Djokovic converted 15 break points on 32 chances.
On the serving side, Djokovic again dominated the previous meetings. Shapovalov has oddly out-aced Djokovic 14-9 in their three matches, but his advantage ends there.
While Djokovic’s first-serve stats are better, it’s been the second serve where Shapovalov has given more points away. Shapovalov has converted only 35 per cent of his second-serve opportunities in the three matches, a number that will need to improve if he wants to have any chance of winning in Paris.
See you in the final…#RolexParisMasters @DjokerNole @denis_shapo pic.twitter.com/DYWVFMGyeD
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 2, 2019
Recent history
One thing Shapovalov does have going for him is momentum, as he enters Sunday’s match having won nine of his 10 matches since losing to Djokovic in Shanghai. Shapovalov hasn’t had to work too hard to reach the Paris final either, with two his five matches ending with his opponent retiring early.
Djokovic won the Japan Open in the first week of October then reached the quarterfinals in Shanghai. He then took two weeks off before Paris, and has yet to drop a set on his way to the final.
Paris marks Shapovalov’s second final of the year (and his career) but he’s reached three other semifinals and three more quarters. Djokovic has won four titles this season, including Wimbledon and the Australian Open, and is looking for his fifth Paris Masters title overall but first since 2015.
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