The voice of new coach Denis Shapovalov is as familiar as it is with a teammate he has long known within the Canadian team.
Peter Polansky, 33, is not only an active teammate and newcomer to coaching, but a fellow citizen who grew up in the same city. [Vaughn, en Ontario, NDLR] than Shapovalov 10 years younger than him.
The decision was surprising, especially since Polansky would initially accompany him, part-time, in just 10 to 15 weeks. In fact, Jamie Delgado was Shapovalov’s original choice.
I had a trial period with Jamie, then I spent a few weeks with Peter, and everything quickly went well with Peter.said Shapovalov who will face a rising star who will enter Roland-Garros on Tuesday, 19-year-old player Dane Holger Rune.
By hiring Delgado at the beginning of the year, Shapovalov took the first concrete step in managing his career.
It’s not that things don’t click between us. It’s not necessarily that he made a mistake. I think he’s a very good coach, but there’s one little thing missingShapovalov explained in an interview with the Canadian Press.
” Sometimes it’s just speculation. I felt deep down that I needed to work full time with Peter [Polansky] because I’m so comfortable with him. I feel like I’m advancing on the court with him. It would have been hard not to take this opportunity. “
The first deal with Delgado was that he would take care of Shapovalov until the Miami tournament. He shouldn’t have been there during the clay-court season, long enough to allow Shapovalov to bank on relationship status.
Before the Masters 1000 in Rome, he called Delgado to tell him that he had finally negotiated with Polansky and Adriano Fuorivia, an ocher specialist who worked with Shapovalov from the junior ranks.
For Polansky, who hasn’t made it into the world top 100 in 15 years in professional rankings, the chance to manage Shapovalov will come at the right time.
Struggling with an arrhythmia issue that once forced him out in the middle of a game for the past six months, Polansky underwent surgery to fix the problem. He planned to rest to recover.
During the offseason in December, at Shapovalov’s request, Polansky worked with him at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He also acted as Delgado’s assistant at Indian Wells. Quickly, Polansky felt that things were heading in the right direction.
Honestly, I’m not sure what to expect. I really don’t taught data. In traveling alone for so many years, I have learned at least what kind of person I want by my side. said Polansky.
” Maybe it’s my attention to detail. I believe his reason is in my heart. He sees it. The difficulty when you are on high. Everyone wants their piece of pie. “
In parallel
Although less than 10 years apart, Shapovalov and Polansky have a long history in common, from Player’s Edge Academy at York University in Toronto to their presence on the ATP Tour.
They faced the pros for the first time in 2017, Shapovalov won the Gatineau Challenger final, Polansky returned the favor the following week, in the semi-finals with Granby. That was the last time Polansky defeated Shapovalov in the world rankings.
Two weeks later, Shapovalov, just 18, scored victories against Juan Martin del Potro and Rafael Nadal in the Rogers Cup in Montreal.
Recently, Shapovalov had frustrating runs at Indian Wells and Miami, where he only won one duel in both tournaments.
His clay-court season had a slow start, but his time in Rome was marked by another win against the injury-impaired Nadal.
Note that Shapovalov has not played in the French Open since the extraordinary autumn edition held in 2020. He skipped Roland-Garros in 2021 due to a shoulder injury that weakened much of his season.
Polansky knew he could make a difference for Shapovalov. He aims to raise the basics of his game to the level that members of the world elite do.
” In my opinion, when he’s at the top of his game, when he’s in his zone, his level of play is scary. It is at this point that he has the potential for a top 3. “
I saw him play twice against Novak Djokovic and he had a good chance of winning both games in the ATP Cup. If he reaches that level consistently, there will be fewer ups and downs, he will have confidence and that will be built.Polansky’s conclusion.
Source: Radio-Canada
