A new coach arrives, the player starts playing better than ever. All credit lies with the coach, right?

Looking at only the timing of their relationship, Russian Mikhail Youzhny played a major role in helping Denis Shapovalov of Canada turn around his 2019 and start 2020 as well as he did at the ATP Cup.

Youzhny started working with Shapovalov in August at the Winston-Salem Open. The 20-year-old was 17-18 on the season and in the middle of a 2-6 stretch. But after connecting with Youzhny, Shapovalov finished the season 21-10.

Youhzny, however, a former World No. 8 who retired in 2018 after 20 years as a professional, says the dynamic of a player hiring a new coach and immediately playing better is far more complex than it might seem.

“It doesn’t work like this. It’s not magic work. It’s not like you’re coming, you say something, and he’s starting to play better, like really better,” Youzhny told ATPTour.com.

All kinds of things influence how someone performs on court, Youzhny said, and Shapovalov’s career trajectory had always been up and up and up. Five months before their partnership began, the Canadian cracked the Top 20 in April after making his third ATP Masters 1000 semi-final in Miami (l. to Federer).

But under Youzhny, there’s no questioning that Shapovalov’s game has reached another level. The #NextGenATP left-hander won his first ATP Tour title at the Stockholm Open (d. Krajinovic) in October and made his maiden Masters 1000 final (l. to Djokovic) at the Rolex Paris Masters in November.

At the inaugural ATP Cup, Shapovalov started 2020 with two Top 10 wins against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev, and he pushed Novak Djokovic to a third-set tie-break at the Final Eight in Sydney.

The 20-year-old happily admits that Youzhny has had a positive effect, but also concedes that his recent rise is more complicated than it looks.

“I don’t think it’s anything specific. I just have been working over the years and just kind of building my game. Of course, Mikhail has helped me a lot, but it comes from before then. Even when I wasn’t getting a lot of wins, when I was struggling, I was still going to the court, working every single day as hard as I could,” Shapovalov said.

“I don’t think it comes from something magical. The end of last season it was kind of starting to click for me. The way I started, it’s great. So hopefully I can just keep up my form and just keep improving. Still, I’m only 20 years old, and I feel like there is a lot of room to grow and areas where I can work on.”

Youzhny has been impressed with Shapovalov’s talent, but more so with his willingness to grow and try new ideas.

“He can do everything on court, like volley, backhand, serve. That’s why for me it’s interesting to work with him,” Youzhny said.

“What I like, if you ask him something to try, he’s always tries to try… This is very good because he never said, ‘This? I don’t need at all. This, for what I need this one? Blah, blah, blah.’ He’s open for something new. This is really important because this is the thing that can bring you to a new level.”

For instance, at Youzhny’s urging, Shapovalov has incorporated backhand slices into his game to get more returns in play. The tactic especially helped him at the end of 2019.

“Me and Mischa worked on blocking it a lot more to kind of start the point, and it’s a tricky shot for the opponents,” Shapovalov said. “I feel like it’s a really big improvement in my game.”

Players who hire new coaches, such as Shapovalov, can often be more open to new ideas, Youzhny said, which can help them improve at a quicker rate once the new mentor comes on board. Simply by deciding to bring a new coach onto the team, the player has shown he’s ready to listen to a new voice and new ideas.

“He changed his mentality, he changed his mood… he changed already by himself,” Youzhny said. “Even if you say the same things [that he’s heard] 100 times, 1,000 times before but from other persons, but working in a different way, it’s feeling like something new.”

Shapovalov has appreciated Youzhny’s new approach but also his familiarity with the left-hander’s game and his opponents. Youzhny won 10 ATP Tour singles titles and went 499-416 before retiring at the 2018 St. Petersburg Open.

“I just really like the way he works. He’s always making me work that little bit of extra. Whenever I think practice is over or I’m going to get a drink, he makes me do those five, 10 extra minutes of ball feeding or serves and stuff like this. And I think stuff like this goes a far way,” Shapovalov said. “He really understands me, understands what I’m going through, and I really feel that from him.

“I feel like he can really help me with the players, too, in terms of what they don’t like, what to do in matches.

“I think the combo has been really good. I feel like from the first day he’s really understood how I play my game and how I see myself playing. He’s really helped me get there and helped me become a good tennis player.”

Shapovalov reached a new career-high of No. 13 in the FedEx ATP Rankings last month. At this rate, by season’s end, he could be matching Youzhny’s career-high of No. 8. Together, as player and coach, they could share the glory, both deflecting praise to each other.

Guido Pella and Diego Schwartzman led Team Argentina in Sydney at the inaugural ATP Cup. At the 24-team event, they were buoyed by Argentine fans who came to support. Now, one month later, they get to compete at home at the second edition of the Cordoba Open.

“It’s the second city in Argentina [with an ATP Tour event]. That is very important. We have a lot of friends, a lot of people who try to watch tennis,” Schwartzman said. “This is a new tournament for them and they are enjoying last year and this year again. We are here to do well and to try to enjoy it with the people in this amazing city.”

In Sydney, there were plenty of vuvuzelas, drums and other instruments Argentine fans used to cheer on their players. In Cordoba, the atmosphere will certainly be special for the home favourites.

“I think they are the best fans. Here in Argentina it’s very nice,” Schwartzman said. “Here we have a lot of good people. They are the best fans for me and for every Argentine. The people here enjoy a lot to see every sport. When some Argentine is playing, it’s very, very nice for us.”

One year ago, Pella reached his first final of the season in Cordoba, ultimately losing in the championship match against countryman Juan Ignacio Londero. Making that run in front of his home fans gave the lefty, who is seeded second this year, plenty of confidence. Pella broke into the Top 20 of the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time in August.

“It’s great to play in front of your people, in front of all your country, so I think it’s a good opportunity for all the Argentine players to play [at home], to try to play their best,” Pella said. “Of course to play here in Cordoba is very nice because I did my first final here last year, so I hope to keep playing like this.”

The Cordoba Open is the first clay-court event of the season, which keeps the players in the field on their toes. Schwartzman says preparing for the switch from hard court to clay is key.

“I’m trying to think to be ready with my legs, mentally, physically, everything. I need to be ready because here on clay and with this weather, [it is] very hot, you need to be ready to play two, three hours on clay for three sets,” Schwartzman said. “I think if I am in my 100 per cent, I have a good chance to do well.”

Schwartzman will begin his tournament against countryman Leonardo Mayer or Spaniard Jaume Munar, while Pella will play Frenchman Corentin Moutet or Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.

“The beginning of the year was very good for me. Good start in Australia at the ATP Cup. I’m [feeling] very good right now, trying to be at my 100 per cent on clay,” Schwartzman said. “It’s been seven months already without playing on clay. It’s a different way to see every point on court, so I need to have a few days, enjoy here in Argentina and try to do my best and try to play my best tennis.”

World No. 198 Carlos Taberner sprung Monday’s biggest upset at the Cordoba Open, defeating seventh seed Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 after one hour and 48 minutes to earn just his second ATP Tour victory.

The qualifier was competing in his first tour-level match since losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in a four-setter in the first round of 2018 Roland Garros. But he showed few nerves against his Spanish countryman, saving seven of the 10 break points he faced, converting five of his nine opportunities.

Taberner arrived in Cordoba without a win at any level this season. But he rallied from down a set and a break in the first round of qualifying, and now he will play Argentine Federico Coria or Slovakian Andrej Martin in the second round of the main draw.

Verdasco appeared in control after the first set, playing the match on his terms. But 15 unforced errors in the second set turned the tide, and the Spaniard was unable to find his rhythm again. He wasn’t the only player to suffer a surprise loss on the first day of main draw action, though.

World No. 108 Attila Balazs upset 2019 Antalya champion Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 7-6(3), triumphing after two hours and one minute. The Hungarian saved all eight break points he faced to advance to a second-round showdown against third seed Cristian Garin, who won two ATP Tour titles (Houston, Munich) last year.

The winner of that match will play sixth seed Pablo Cuevas or Italian Gianluca Mager. Cuevas beat home favorite Federico Delbonis 7-5, 6-2 on Monday, while Mager battled past Argentine qualifier Juan Pablo Ficovich 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

Slovakian Norbert Gombos earned the upset of the day on Monday at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier.

The 29-year-old right-hander knocked out sixth seed and former World No. 10 Pablo Carreno Busta 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the second round of the ATP 250. Gombos, No. 104 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, will next meet Finnish qualifier Emil Ruusuvuori or Austrian Dennis Novak.

France’s Gregoire Barrere set up a second-round meeting with fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov after beating Portugal’s Joao Sousa 6-2, 7-6(6). The 25-year-old Frenchman saved 88 per cent (7/8) of the break points he faced and won 60 per cent (15/25) of his second-serve points.

In the only other main draw match of the day, Canadian Vasek Pospisil was perfect on break points and beat Slovenian Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-4. The 29-year-old Pospisil saved all five break points faced and converted both break points he saw on Bedene’s serve.

Pospisil will next face countryman and third seed Denis Shapovalov. The #NextGenATP left-hander leads their ATP Head2Head 1-0, a straight-sets win last month at the ASB Classic in Auckland.

Second seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau defeated Canadian #NextGenATP stars Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-4 on Monday to reach the second round of the Open Sud de France in Montpellier.

Rojer and Tecau, who have won 20 tour-level titles as a team, saved all seven break points they faced against Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov. They broke twice — once in each set — en route to a 78-minute victory. Rojer and Tecau will next play Dominic Inglot/Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi or Alexander Bublik/Damir Dzumhur. 

In the other doubles match of the day in Montpellier, Nikola Cacic and Mate Pavic eliminated wild cards Kenny De Schepper and Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-4. They will face the winner between top seeds Kevin Krawietz/Nicolas Mahut and Adrian Mannarino/Hugo Nys.

At the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune, Italians Paolo Lorenzi/Stefano Travaglia beat Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis and Russian Evgeny Donskoy 6-4, 6-4. On Tuesday in India, there will be a blockbuster when doubles legend Leander Paes and his partner, Matthew Ebden, face second seeds Divij Sharan and Artem Sitak.

In Cordoba, fourth seeds Leonardo Mayer/Andres Molteni ousted fellow Argentines Guillermo Duran/Juan Ignacio Londero 6-3, 1-6, 10-5 to reach the second round of the Cordoba Open.

Nick Kyrgios returned to the Top 20 of the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday for the first time since 13 August 2018, coming in at World No. 20. The Aussie, who lost to top seed Rafael Nadal in four tight sets in the fourth round of the Australian Open, fell as low as World No. 72 last February. 

“Hopefully I can keep doing it,” Kyrgios said of his good form. “I’m just taking it day by day, trying to be positive, just bringing positive vibes.”

Kyrgios won ATP 500 tournaments in Acapulco and Washington last year to rebuild his standing. He won four of his seven matches against Top 10 opponents in 2019.

The six-time ATP Tour titlist is next scheduled to compete at the New York Open, the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com and the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, where he is defending champion. Outside of the 500 points he is defending in Acapulco, Kyrgios is only defending an additional 220 points through Wimbledon.

Kyrgios’ career-high FedEx ATP Ranking is No. 13, which he reached in October 2016 after triumphing in Tokyo. The 24-year-old has played well so far this season, winning three of his four singles matches at the ATP Cup before making the fourth round in Melbourne.

Japan’s Yuichi Sugita set a second-round showdown with Serbian Viktor Troicki on Monday at the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune.

The fifth-seeded Japanese beat Italy’s Thomas Fabbiano 6-3, 6-0. Sugita saved six of seven break points to improve to 2-1 in 2020. 

The 33-year-old Troicki qualified for the ATP 250 and secured his first singles win of the season with a 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-1 win against Indian Sumit Nagal, who took a set off Roger Federer last year in the first round of the US Open.

In other action, German Cedrik-Marcel Stebe beat 2019 finalist Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 6-3, 6-4 and will next meet second seed Ricardas Berankis. Seventh seed Salvatore Caruso of Italy also advanced, holding off Indian wild card Ramkumar Ramanathan 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

A LOOK BACK
Oracle Challenger Series Newport Beach (Newport Beach, California, USA): To say that Thai-Son Kwiatkowski earned his first ATP Challenger Tour title would be an understatement. The American reeled off six wins in six days in Newport Beach, lifting his maiden trophy in emphatic fashion. Not only did Kwiatkowski topple four seeds in a row, but he rallied from a set down to overcome Brayden Schnur and Steve Johnson along the way.

The former University of Virginia standout dominated Sunday’s final, beating Daniel Elahi Galan 6-4, 6-1 in just 58 minutes. Appearing in his first final, Kwiatkowski exhibited nerves of steel in taking the title. He soared 89 spots to a career-high No. 181 in the FedEx ATP Rankings with the victory.

“I almost didn’t come to this tournament,” said Kwiatkowski during the trophy ceremony. “I had a really bad week of training last week and my girlfriend dumped me two weeks ago so to win this is amazing.

“He qualified for the Australian Open last week so I knew he’s super match tough and playing well. I was incredibly nervous, it was my first ATP Challenger final. I just tried to not think about what was on the line and play every point. It was super difficult, it was a little bit cooler than yesterday. But I hung in there really well.”

The NCAA singles champion in 2017, Kwiatkowski was also an integral part of three national championship runs for the University of Virginia. Now, three years after turning pro, he is putting it all together on the professional scene alongside longtime coach Carlos Benatzky. He is coming off a 23-win season that also saw him claim his first Top 100 victory.

Kwiatkowski, who was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, is three-quarters Vietnamese and one-quarter Polish. Last year, he visited Vietnam to hold a series of kids’ clinics in Ho Chi Minh City. The 24-year-old has stressed the importance of growing the game in his mother’s native country.

Meanwhile, in doubles, Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar continued their impressive run together, earning a seventh Challenger title as a team. All seven titles have come within the past year, as the Uruguayan-Ecuadorian pair move closer to the Top 50 of the FedEx ATP Doubles Rankings.

Caterpillar Burnie International (Burnie, Australia): Top seed Taro Daniel was a class above the rest in Burnie. The World No. 110 dominated from start to finish, not dropping a set en route to lifting the trophy. He conceded just five games in the quarter-finals, four games in the semis and routed Yannick Hanfmann 6-2, 6-2 in Sunday’s championship.

It was a long-awaited return to the winners’ circle for the Japanese star, who celebrated his first title since 2017. It was his sixth overall on the ATP Challenger Tour and first alongside new coach Sven Groeneveld. Closing in on a Top 100 return, he rises eight spots to No. 102 in the latest FedEx ATP Rankings.

Watch Daniel Interview

Punta Open (Punta del Este, Uruguay): The first clay-court champion of 2020 is Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro. The 25-year-old successfully defended his Punta del Este crown in dramatic fashion, saving three match points against Marco Cecchinato in Sunday’s final.

Monteiro, who fought off those three championship points at 5-4 in the third set, prevailed 7-6(3), 6-7(6), 7-5 after two hours and 51 minutes. He turned in a clutch serving performance as well, denying eight of nine break points faced.

In 2019, Monteiro broke through with three Challenger titles and soared inside the Top 100 to become the No. 1-ranked Brazilian. This week, he picked up right where he left off, adding a sixth title overall after opening the year with a run to the second round at the ASB Classic in Auckland as a qualifier.

Open Quimper Bretagne Occidentale (Quimper, France): Kwiatkowski wasn’t the only player to lift his first trophy on Sunday. In Quimper, Cem Ilkel reigned for the first time, defeating home hope Maxime Janvier 7-6(6), 7-5 for the title.

The 24-year-old Ilkel is the first player from Turkey to win a Challenger title since Marsel Ilhan in 2016. He earned every bit of the victory, with four of his wins coming in three sets. He rises 65 spots to a career-high No. 200 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Meanwhile, in Quimper, another first-time winner was crowned.

Cem Ilkel is Turkey’s ?? first #ATPChallenger champion since 2016, taking the title @OpendeQuimper. pic.twitter.com/loE0VswQ3q

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) February 2, 2020

A LOOK AHEAD
Two tournaments highlight this week’s slate, with Frances Tiafoe headlining the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas. He is joined by Andreas Seppi, Dominik Koepfer, Brayden Schnur, defending champion Mitchell Krueger and two-time runner-up Mackenzie McDonald.

And in Launceston, Australia, Marc Polmans and Alex Bolt lead the charge on home soil. Max Purcell, seeded 10th, is coming off a run to the Australian Open doubles final with countryman Luke Saville.