Denis Shapovalov: 'You can't lose focus vs Nadal even when you lead 40-0'
In an interview with El Mundo Deportivo, Denis Shapovalov praised Rafael Nadal's skills. "There is no doubt that Nadal is the best clay-courter", said the Canadian player. "I played with him last year in Rome and I was able to see how good he is. He knows the tactic, he is very aggressive and it's very difficult to do something. He builds every point very well, he runs a lot, he is very complete on clay but he is a top player on every court. He is a champion, a fighter. Even if you lead 40-0 you can never lose the focus because he never gives up and he does not give you free points. He puts a lot of pressure on the opponent."
Asked how he would explain his evolution as a player, Shapovalov replied: "I am a completely different player than the beginning. It's all a maturity process, the training sessions, the matches, the trips. You see players on TV and now I play with them. I made a pretty fast transition, I am more professional, I am more focused. My entire game changed, I am more patient and I feel I can do many more things on the court. Now I feel more comfortable when I play against the best players.'
Asked if cracking the top 10 rankings is the goal of the season, Shapovalov replied: "I do not think it's a goal for the season, it has been my goal for a while and it's the following step I want to achieve. It's very possible to do it this year if I make the correct steps, but I am just 20 years old and many things start improving on my game to guarantee myself that I can belong to this level. Hopefully, I will be in the top 10 for a long time."
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2J0ZXSL
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