Denis Shapovalov was too good for Hubert Hurkacz in their Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships third round match. Getty Images
Denis Shapovalov was too good for Hubert Hurkacz in their Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships third round match. Getty Images
Denis Shapovalov was too good for Hubert Hurkacz in their Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships third round match. Getty Images
Denis Shapovalov was too good for Hubert Hurkacz in their Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships third round match. Getty Images

Denis Shapovalov striving for consistency after cruising into Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships quarter-finals


  • English
  • Arabic

Denis Shapovalov has not had the easiest of draws so far at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships but the third seed has passed with flying colours to reach the quarter-finals and is playing like the man to beat.

Shapovalov, 21, has faced two opponents against whom his record was far from convincing. Both have been emphatically beaten. First was Jan-Lennard Struff, who had beaten the Canadian in their previous four meetings. The German was dispatched for the loss of just four games.

Then came another step up in challenge against 13th seed Hubert Hurkacz on Wednesday. The Pole had won both of their past encounters, but he was no match for Shapovalov as the world No 12 claimed a comfortable 6-4, 6-3 victory in 76 minutes.

"I was focused on business on the court," Shapovalov said. "For sure, I’m playing some really good tennis. I’ve struggled against Hubert in the past and he’s such a great player with big weapons, so I’m really happy to get my first win against him. I was really feeling it in the important points."

The Canadian is one of the most eye-catching players on the ATP Tour with an arsenal of shot-making and a throwback playing style. And when it clicks, as it has so far this week, it can be irresistible.

Consistency can be an issue but for a player still in the infancy of his career –particularly one with a high-risk game – that is understandable. Perhaps the most telling statistic regarding Shapovalov's inconsistency lies in the fact he has now reached 21 quarter-finals in his short career but has only made it to two finals, winning one.

However, with more experience and time on the practice court, Shapovalov believes it is only a matter of time that more titles will follow.

"Of course you want to play every final but that’s just how it is," he said. "I'm sure of my ability to get [to finals] but so far it just hasn't been the case. But I'm not thinking about the past at all, I’m just focused on what I can do right now.

“Winning these matches is a good reminder of the level that I can play. It’s all about making that level more solid. I’ve been able to do that this week and I’m confident because I put a lot of work in and I believe in myself. Being able to play on this level consistently is what we’re striving for."

After emphatically defeating two opponents he holds losing records against, Shapovalov next faces a player he has beaten twice in two meetings. France's Jeremy Chardy earned the right to face the third seed after beating Russian eighth seed Karen Khachanov 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 over on Court 1.

If Shapovalov represents the future of men's tennis, one of his contemporaries was also busy making his mark on the tournament.

Jannik Sinner emerged victorious from the match of the week so far when the 19-year-old Italian eliminated fourth seed and 2018 champion Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Sinner, the 16th seed, takes on Russia's Aslan Karatsev who shot to prominence at the Australian Open as the first male player to reach a Grand Slam semi-final on his debut. Sinner will be the second Italian Karatsev has faced after he beat Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In the evening's first match, Japan's former world No 4 Kei Nishikori continued his fine form with a routine 6-4, 6-4 win over Slovenian Aljaz Bedene.

Nishikori's victory was swiftly followed by second seed Andrey Rublev, who raced into the quarter-finals by thrashing an error-strewn Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-1 in just 64 minutes.

Arsenal's pre-season fixtures

Thursday Beat Sydney 2-0 in Sydney

Saturday v Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney

Wednesday v Bayern Munich in Shanghai

July 22 v Chelsea in Beijing

July 29 v Benfica in London

July 30 v Sevilla in London

How tumultuous protests grew
  • A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
  • Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved 
  • Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
  • At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
  • Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars 
  • Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
  • An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital 
Iraq negotiating over Iran sanctions impact
  • US sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports took effect on Monday, November 5.
  • Washington issued formal waivers to eight buyers of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue limited imports. Iraq did not receive a waiver.
  • Iraq’s government is cooperating with the US to contain Iranian influence in the country, and increased Iraqi oil production is helping to make up for Iranian crude that sanctions are blocking from markets, US officials say.
  • Iraq, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, pumped last month at a record 4.78 million barrels a day, former Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said on Oct. 20. Iraq exported 3.83 million barrels a day last month, according to tanker tracking and data from port agents.
  • Iraq has been working to restore production at its northern Kirkuk oil field. Kirkuk could add 200,000 barrels a day of oil to Iraq’s total output, Hook said.
  • The country stopped trucking Kirkuk oil to Iran about three weeks ago, in line with U.S. sanctions, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because they aren’t allowed to speak to media.
  • Oil exports from Iran, OPEC’s third-largest supplier, have slumped since President Donald Trump announced in May that he’d reimpose sanctions. Iran shipped about 1.76 million barrels a day in October out of 3.42 million in total production, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
  • Benchmark Brent crude fell 47 cents to $72.70 a barrel in London trading at 7:26 a.m. local time. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was 25 cents lower at $62.85 a barrel in New York. WTI held near the lowest level in seven months as concerns of a tightening market eased after the U.S. granted its waivers to buyers of Iranian crude.
Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The National in Davos

We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tu%20Jhoothi%20Main%20Makkaar%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELuv%20Ranjan%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERanbir%20Kapoor%2C%20Shraddha%20Kapoor%2C%20Anubhav%20Singh%20Bassi%20and%20Dimple%20Kapadia%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GOODBYE%20JULIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohamed%20Kordofani%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiran%20Riak%2C%20Eiman%20Yousif%2C%20Nazar%20Goma%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Draw for Europa League last-16

Istanbul Basaksehir v Copenhagen; Olympiakos Piraeus v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Rangers v Bayer Leverkusen; VfL Wolfsburg v Shakhtar Donetsk; Inter Milan v Getafe

Sevilla v AS Roma; Eintracht Frankfurt or Salzburg v Basel; LASK v Manchester United

FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Without Remorse

Directed by: Stefano Sollima

Starring: Michael B Jordan

4/5

Zayed%20Centre%20for%20Research
%3Cp%3EThe%20Zayed%20Centre%20for%20Research%20is%20a%20partnership%20between%20Great%20Ormond%20Street%20Hospital%2C%20University%20College%20London%20and%20Great%20Ormond%20Street%20Hospital%20Children%E2%80%99s%20Charity%20and%20was%20made%20possible%20thanks%20to%20a%20generous%20%C2%A360%20million%20gift%20in%202014%20from%20Sheikha%20Fatima%20bint%20Mubarak%2C%20Chairwoman%20of%20the%20General%20Women's%20Union%2C%20President%20of%20the%20Supreme%20Council%20for%20Motherhood%20and%20Childhood%2C%20and%20Supreme%20Chairwoman%20of%20the%20Family%20Development%20Foundation.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS

1.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winners: Hyde Park, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)

2.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard

2.45pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

3.15pm: Shadwell Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 (TB) Dh575,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Blown by Wind, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer

3.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh72,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

4.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh64,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Obeyaan, Adrie de Vries, Mujeeb Rehman

4.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.