The newest promising face in Canadian tennis may have been born this week, with Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov enjoying a dream run at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Drummondville.

The 16-year-old entered the main draw courtesy of a wild card, but has been making the most of his opportunity. Making just his second main draw appearance at an ATP Challenger Tour event, he dispatched fellow Canadian Felip Peliwo in the opening round, making him the first player born in the year 1999 to win a match on the ATP Challenger Tour. Shapovalov followed that win up with a shocking upset in the second round over No. 2 seed and World No. 101 Austin Krajicek. He then prevailed in the quarter-finals over No. 5 seed Renzo Olivo, when the Argentinian was forced to retire due to injury, setting the Canadian up for a semi-final showdown on Saturday against No. 4 seed Daniel Evans.

With his breakthrough run, Shapovalov has become the first 16-year-old to reach the semi-finals of a Challenger since Stefan Kozlov achieved that feat in Sacramento in October 2014.

“I’m very excited to have earned my first ATP Challenger Tour win, especially since it is in my home country,” said Shapovalov. “I’m pleased to be having a great run this week, achieving some good wins over top players. I feel like the home crowd has helped me to get through some tough matches. I’m also very grateful to have a strong supporting team around me who have helped me in different ways to ensure that I stay on the right path.”

Currently ranked No. 775 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, Shapovalov has already climbed more than 300 spots since the start of the year. He is projected to jump another 200 spots in the rankings after his strong showing this week, but could move even higher if he reaches the finals in Drummondville or wins the tournament.

He now joins another fellow Canadian teenager, Felix Auger Aliassime, in making a rapid rise up the Emirates ATP Rankings. Fittingly, the pair teamed up to win the boys’ doubles title at last year’s US Open.

Shapovalov isn’t the only Canadian player to enjoy success this week in Drummondville, though. He joined Philip Bester, Peter Polansky and Frank Dancevic in reaching the quarter-finals, marking the first time four Canadians advanced to the last eight of a Challenger event since Calgary in 1993.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will face Rafael Nadal in a blockbuster semi-final at the BNP Paribas Open after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(2), 7-6(2) on Friday in Indian Wells.

Earlier in the day, Nadal was a 6-4, 6-3 winner over Kei Nishikori.

Djokovic and Nadal will meet for the 48th time, with Djokovic leading their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 24-23. The Serb has won nine of their past 10 meetings, with Nadal’s only victory in that spell coming in the 2014 Roland Garros final.

This will be the fourth time the pair has met at Indian Wells. Nadal won their first battle in the 2007 final, but Djokovic since beat the Spaniard in the 2008 semifinals and the 2011 final.

“He’s a great competitor, a great fighter,” said Djokovic. “He’s been getting himself out of trouble a few times this week and showing why he’s one of the best players in the history of the game.

“He never gives up. He always makes you play an extra shot. Always makes you earn the win. I’m going into tomorrow’s match knowing what’s expected of me and I know how to get ready.

“I won the past couple of times we played against each other, so maybe that can give me a slight mental advantage coming into the court. But everything is open. It’s the semi-finals. We both have won multiple titles here and hopefully we can come up with some good tennis. I’m hoping I can deliver my best game tomorrow.”

The 28-year-old Djokovic is bidding to reach the final of this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament for the sixth time. In addition to his runner-up showing against Nadal in 2007, the Serb lifted the trophy in 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2015.

Watch live tennis at tennistv.com. Visit BNP Paribas Open Official Website.

With 430 million bicycle owners in China, the country is known as the biking capital of the world. This week at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Guangzhou, several players have been joining the trend by biking to and from the tournament venue and hotel.

Blaz Rola, Dudi Sela and Wu Di are just a few players who are forgoing the tournament shuttle between the venue and hotel, instead choosing to ride a bike each day. Wu revealed he’s even made the bike rides an annual tradition since he first started playing in Guangzhou.

“I like the feeling of riding in this beautiful area, especially when the weather is good,” he said. Davide [his coach] will walk to the venue. Maybe because this is something for young people!”

The Landmark International Hotel has been providing bikes for all of the players to use this week. Sela explained that he’s been “borrowing a bicycle from the hotel like most of the players.” Since it’s only a short ride between the tennis center and hotel, players don’t have to worry about tiring their legs out for matches while still enjoying an experience that’s unique to the tournament.

“Almost every player will choose to ride a bike to the tennis center. It takes less than 10 minutes, so it’s convenient,” said Rola. “The air here is very fresh. When the weather is good, it’s a beautiful ride with the blue sky and the trees on the side of the road. It’s a very special experience.”

Tournament director Chen Qi explained that the Guangzhou government has made an active effort to build green space in recent years, prompting the tournament hotel to offer bikes as a way to experience it. With the overwhelming popularity of the bike rides among the players, he anticipates it will continue to be a trend at the tournament for years to come.

“I remember after Wu Di and all the Chinese players started using the bicycle, the foreign players found out and began doing the same,” said Chen. “It must be very convenient for them, so they keep doing this every year.”

Three-time former champion Rafael Nadal is through to the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open after surviving an early onslaught to defeat Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-3 on Friday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

The Spaniard will face either World No. 1 Novak Djokovic or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for a place in the final of the first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament of the season.

The 29-year-old Nadal is bidding to reach the final in Indian Wells for the fifth time. Winner of 27 Masters 1000 crowns, Nadal lifted the trophy at the BNP Paribas Open in 2007 (d. Djokovic), 2009 (d. Murray) and 2013 (d. Del Potro); he also finished runner-up to Djokovic in 2011.

The left-hander was under pressure early from the fifth-seeded Nishikori, who captured his 11^th ATP World Tour title in Memphis last month (d. Fritz). The Japanese star broke early and had points for a 4-1 double-break lead, before Nadal found his groove.

The Manacor native fought back to level at 3-3 and from 4-4 reeled off five straight games to steal the opener and take a commanding lead in the second set. Nadal had a point for 4-0, before Nishikori halted his momentum. After getting a foothold in the set, Nishikori then brought himself back into contention with a break in the seventh game. But Nadal regained his advantage in the following game and served out victory in one hour and 33 minutes.

Watch live tennis at tennistv.com. Visit BNP Paribas Open Official Website.

Roger Federer is returning to competition. The No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, out of action since the Australian Open due to a knee injury, will take part in the Miami Open presented by Itau, which kicks off on 23 March.

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The two-time champion (2005-06) confirmed that he will take part in the year’s second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event via Twitter. He is 8-2 on the year, finishing runner-up in Brisbane (l. to Raonic) and reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open (l. to Djokovic). He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in early February.

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— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) March 17, 2016

Rise and grind ??? pic.twitter.com/6UOSrCANjZ

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) March 14, 2016