Denis Shapovalov is having a dream start to the 2022 season. The 22-year-old lifted the ATP Cup with Team Canada before the Australian Open. In the inaugural Grand Slam of the season, the next-gen star has reached the quarterfinals. He will take on the Spanish legend Rafael Nadal later today at the Rod Laver Arena. The young Canadian’s rise has been impeccable. Moreover, there is a crazy backstory behind Shapovalov’s meeting with Nadal today.

Denis Shapovalov takes on Rafael Nadal for a place in the Australian Open 2022 semifinals

The battle later today will be the 5th time the two will be facing each other. The Spaniard has won on three previous occasions, while Shapovalov managed to defeat the 20-time Grand Slam champion once, excluding a walkover in 2019. However, the two met on the tennis court way back in 2008 when a 9-year-old Shapovalov was a mascot for Rafael Nadal. They battled for the first time in 2017 at the ATP Masters 1000 in Montreal, Canada. Denis Shapovalov prevailed in that encounter in a hard-fought 3-setter thriller 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). He defeated the Spanish legend he met nine years before.

Nadal and Shapovalov have faced each other three times since but will now clash in a Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2022 Australian Open, 14 years on from the first time they shook hands.

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The two players at the Australian Open 2022

Rafael Nadal and Denis Shapovalov have had contrasting fortunes on the way to their quarterfinal meeting. While Nadal has breezed into the last-eight of the tournament dropping only a set en route, Shapovalov had to fight hard for his victories in the previous rounds. The Spanish legend won his opening two rounds in straight sets without dropping a sweat. However, in the third round, he dropped a set against Russian Karen Khachanov. Further, in the fourth round, he defeated Adrian Mannarino of France 7-6 (16-14), 6-2, 6-2.

Meanwhile, Denis Shapovalov has proved to be a giant killer in this tournament. He defeated third-seeded Alexander Zverev in the fourth round. Can the Canadian continue his fine form in 2022 and battle past Rafael Nadal? Do let us know your views in the comments below.

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