“Mentored By Him”: Denis Shapovalov Hails Doubles Partner Rohan Bopanna Ahead of Mutua Madrid Open 2021

Former World No.10 Denis Shapovalov is currently playing at the Mutua Madrid Open 2021. The Canadian superstar recently won his first match at the tournament against Dusan Lajovic. Interestingly, he crushed his opponent in straight sets to seal the match. The final scoreline of the match was 6-1, 6-3.

Apart from playing singles, Denis Shapovalov is also playing in the doubles category along with his partner Rohan Bopanna. The pair will face Jaume Munar and Marc Lopez in the first round of the Mutua Madrid Open 2021 tomorrow.

In a recent interview, Shapovalov talked about his partner Rohan Bopanna. He revealed that he really enjoys playing with Bopanna and it was he who asked him to play doubles in Madrid and Rome.

“Yeah! It (playing doubles) has helped me a lot,” began Shapovalov. “He just asks me to play here and in Rome. So, you know, I figured out for sure, I want to play with him. It is always awesome.”

It is not the first time when the two are playing together. Even though they didn’t enjoy great results at the French Open and the US Open last year, they really play well as a team.

“It’s great to learn from him”- Denis Shapovalov on Rohan Bopanna

Shapovalov highlighted that Bopanna really helped and mentored him in Australia. The former World No.10 also claimed that he is a smart player and he learns a lot from him.

“He helped me out in Australia…So, it’s definitely great to play doubles with him but also just get to, you know, mentored by him. I feel he is such a smart guy, such a smart player. So, it’s great to learn from him,” added the Canadian player.

Because he is playing in both the singles and doubles category, Denis Shapovalov will have back-to-back matches at the Mutua Madrid Open 2021. He will pair up with Bopanna and play his first doubles match tomorrow. Then, he will face Alexander Bublik in the second round of the tournament in the singles category. Will Shapovalov be able to win a title in Madrid this year?

Also Read: “Just Want to Play More”: Denis Shapovalov Seeks Clay Comfort in Estoril Ahead of Mutua Madrid Open 2021