Denis Shapovalov of Canada accuses president Carlos Bernardes of corruption during his time Australian Open Quarterfinals FinanceI lost to Rafael Nadal.
In a five-set match in hot weather at Rod Laver Arena, Nadal took the lead 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3, overcoming an abdominal problem throughout the match.
The contest exploded to life after Shapovalov dropped the first set 6-3 and appeared frustrated early in the second half, making it difficult for Nadal’s pace of play.
The tempo of the match was controlled by the server, and when the 20-time Grand Slam champion wasn’t ready to start the set with Shapovalov’s serve, the Canadian showed his frustration.
“You’ve started the clock for so long, he’s still not ready to play,” Shapovalov told Bernardes.
“You have to code [violation] he.”
Though Nadal looked ready to take over after that complaint, Shapovalov later withdrew from another serve, asking Bernardes to “code him.”
“For what?” The veteran referee replied.
“He’s not ready to compete,” said Shapovalov. “Are you kidding me? You’re all spoiled, you’re all spoiled,” Shapovalov said, appearing to suggest that the tennis fraternity favors big-name players. like the Spaniard.
Check out the exchange below.
🗣️ “You guys are all spoiled!”
Denis Shapovalov was on the referee’s chair during a stunningly explosive match at Rod Laver Stadium. 😳🤯#AusOpen – Live on Channels 9 and 9 Now pic.twitter.com/BUdTxut1Fc
– The vast world of sports (@wwos) January 25, 2022
That won’t be the end of the movie.
Winning his serve game to start the second set, Shapovalov waited with open arms for Nadal’s serve even though the clock had a few seconds left.
The two players then met on the net, and Nadal seemed to be trying to assuage the 22-year-old’s worries.
Jim Courier said in a commentary: “Shapovalov has no business having to raise his hands to the sky when there is time on the clock.
“If the meter reads 0, then he should say, ‘Bernardes, call it.’ The disappointment from the first episode is surfacing a bit.”
Shapovalov would have lost the set 6-4, but the momentum changed in the third round, with Nadal clearly hampered by injury or illness.
He was treated on the court but Shapovalov didn’t want to give up and made the third and fourth sets.
A medical timeout before the final set then delivered another change of match, Nadal looking stronger as the fifth hour approached.
Ultimately, the 35-year-old’s championship qualities pushed him to the limit, earning him a place in his 36th Grand Slam semi-final.
“In the beginning of the game I played great but I know how difficult it is to play against a player like Denis, he is very talented, very aggressive, he serves very big and especially serves. Monday,” Nadal said after the match.
“I was starting to feel bad in my stomach so I just asked if there was something they could do. I took a couple of pills to try to improve my stomach issue, that’s all.
“I think I was lucky to have served so well in the fifth season.”
Shapovalov is aiming to equal his best record at a major, reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 2021, while Nadal is trying to become the first male player to win 21 Grand Slam singles titles.
