"It's not fair, that's not tennis": Shapovalov left unimpressed by distraction tactics of Albot in now suspended Wimbledon clash
ATPTuesday, 04 July 2023 at 12:39
Canada’s Denis Shapovalov has been left unimpressive with tactics
used by his opponent Wimbledon’s first-round opponent Radu Albot.
The 24-year-old’s opener at the third Grand Slam of the year,
which has been played in London, was suspended because of bad weather on Monday.
He lost the first set with a score of 7-5 and was equal in
the second (2-2) when the match came to a halt due to weather conditions.
In the first set, the Moldovan tennis star changed his
returning style when the set was tied at 5-5, in a visible attempt to distract his
opponent.
The world number the 29-seed, while speaking to the media
after the match, expressed his displeasure over an incident that took place in
the first set.
“He's jumping around like this, I mean it's a joke, nobody
does that, it's an absolute joke that you're doing this. I'll start doing the
same and then we can have a party over here. I mean, it's not fair, that's not
tennis. The sole purpose of this is to distract me, that's just hindrance.”
This is only the third time — and the first time on a grass surface
— that both players are meeting at the tennis court. In the previous meetings,
both players won one time each.
The first time when both players faced off was in 2020 in
Sofia where Albot came out on top with a score of 6-2, 6-4.
In the second meeting two years later, Shapovalov returned the
favour in Korea with a win in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-2.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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