The experienced Vacek Pospisil, 30, and the young wolves Denis Shapovalov, 21 and Félix Auger-Aliassime, 20, are at the rendezvous of the round of 16 in New York.
Younger members of the top 50 (they are even both in the top 25), the future belongs to Shapovalov (17th) and Auger-Aliassime (21st).
Tennis emerged from confidentiality in Canada thanks to the coronation, in particular, of Bianca Andreescu (19), winner of the last US Open.
Milos Raonic, ex 3rd in the world, now 18th, and Eugénie Bouchard (ex 5th) were the forerunners worn by Tennis-Canada, a model ... 100% French exported by a former executive of the French DTN, Louis Borfiga.
Passed by Insep from 1990 to 2006, where he notably coached Tsonga, Monfils and Simon, the 65-year-old technician made the bet of an adventure abroad in August 2006 in order to structure the Canadian federation.
He had a free hand and recruited coaches like Frédéric Fontang, now coach of the great hope Auger-Aliassime.
A Frenchman behind Canadian success
“I wanted to embark on an experience abroad to bring my ideas and my methods, explained Borfiga to
Le Figaro
.
When I arrived, the leaders put the package on the high level.
I wanted a solid structure, with a national center in Montreal (opened in 2007) and three regional centers to feed it (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver) to help 19-20 year olds and follow them.
The goal was to have players in the top hundred in the world.
We had two players in the top ten after six, seven years ... “Bet won, beyond expectations.
“I think tennis was already booming in Canada with Genie (Bouchard), Milos (Raonic) and me.
Now there is Félix, Denis and Bianca (Andreescu), so we are experiencing a real golden age, ”adds Vacek Pospisil.
Go ⚔️ ♂️ https://t.co/4Zh7mH4xjg
- Frédéric Fontang (@FredericFontang) September 5, 2020
For the first time in his career, Auger-Aliassime, impressive winner of Corentin Moutet, will discover this Monday, against 3rd world leader Dominic Thiem, a second week of Major: "I continue to train well and I think I am instead of where I should be, I have the level to be regularly in the second week of the Grand Slam.
Now I'll see how far I can go ”.
Denis Shapovalov, who dominated in the 3rd round in five sets the American Taylor Fritz, finds his side the 8th in New York for the second time in his career after 2017. With the advantage of freshness: “I did not play exhibition, I just trained a lot.
It's a mental challenge to get back almost with a Grand Slam, so I'm really happy to make my way through the table. ”
He will have to dismiss the experienced David Goffin this Monday;
10th player in the world: “David will be another tough player.
He will make me play a lot of the ball, he is very talented and solid, from the back of the field. ”
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Shapovalov is atypical for a player of the new generation.
He is left-handed and adept at the one-handed backhand, while the vast majority of players on the tour use a two-handed backhand.
In November 2019, at the Rolex Paris Masters, he played and lost his first Masters 1000 final against Djokovic. He has been trained since the end of last summer by Russian Mikhail Youzhny.
Equally charismatic, Félix Auger-Aliassime, a young Quebecer with false airs of Yannick Noah, sets up times of passage similar to the greatest.
Passed in five months from 108th to 28th place in the world, at the age of 19, he looks forward to him, he has always panicked the precocity counters.
A Canadian can hide others.
At 30, the 94th player in the world Vasek Pospisil created two successive sensations by dropping his… compatriot Milos Raonic, recent finalist in Cincinnati, then the solid Roberto Bautista Agut, in 5 sets.
Facing the Australian Alex de Minaur, he will try to qualify for his second quarter-final of his career in Grand Slam, after Wimbledon 2015. We have not finished talking about Canadian tennis.
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