Rivard : Canada's Dynamic Duo Returns

It wasn’t their first outing.

It wasn’t their most necessary or their most memorable.

However on March 9, there was loads of all-Canadian hype when our nation’s prime ATP delegates teamed up within the males’s doubles occasion of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

All of us thought Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov could be inseparable after their sensible junior careers, however sustaining issues grew to become a bit extra difficult as they moved up within the rankings, competed in several tournaments and set their sights on their very own objectives.

Shapovalov has had loads of success with veteran Rohan Bopanna, whereas Félix managed to grab his first joint title with Hubert Hurkacz on the 2020 Paris Masters regardless of taking part in far much less doubles.

What’s to not love concerning the two Canadians who’ve been mates since childhood and reached such heights?

In 2015, the children gained the Junior Davis Cup and US Open boys’ doubles title.

Three years later, they teamed up on the NBO in Shapo’s hometown of Toronto. Their opening match drew an enormous crowd however resulted in elimination by the hands of Novak Djokovic and Kevin Anderson.

Photograph : Mike McIntyre / Match Level Canada

Barely two years after that, they took their doubles to the subsequent stage to safe the ATP Cup in Brisbane, Australia.

Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime grew up collectively and broke via collectively. After they competed collectively to clinch the 2022 Davis Cup, they made Canada one of many world’s elite tennis nations.

Whereas they didn’t pair up on the century-old competitors, their excellence in singles and doubles offered our nation with enviable depth.

On the night of Thursday, March 9, on a secondary courtroom in Indian Wells, the duo locked in a simple two-set win over Holger Rune of Denmark and Ben Shelton of the US (6-1, 6-3) in simply 56 minutes.

Within the following spherical, a walkover offered by Cam Norrie (and Lucas Miedler of Austria) meant they’d punched their ticket for the quarters.

Learn the evaluation of their doubles win.

In Canada, their first match went viral because of the wonderful effectivity of social networks and #Shauger.

Picture : TennisTV

That’s SHA- for Shapovalov plus AUGER.

For sure, portmanteaux—phrases that mixes two others—aren’t new and really pop up usually within the language. Consider phrases like podcast, smog and mansplain.

Learn additionally: Auger-Aliassime saves six match factors to achieve singles quarter-finals in Indian Wells

How do you’re feeling about Shauger?

I’ll come again to it. First, let’s check out a number of the tennis monikers that got here earlier than.

FEDAL, THE WOODIES AND ISNERMAN

The newest and most well-known tennis nickname belongs to 2 males who didn’t truly staff up all that a lot.

That’s Fedal, coined on the inaugural version of Laver Cup in Prague again in September 2017, when the 2 legends paired up for the very first time. A superb and surprising second of tennis magic.

And earlier than Fedal, there have been a number of different portmanteau pairs.

Who might neglect the enjoyable nickname that grew to become a trademark for our very personal Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock after they gained Wimbledon as an unseeded staff in 2014?

Pospisock.

Australians Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata have but to resolve between Kubikata or Janky. Somebody prompt Workforce Kinky, however the pair flip them down with a smile.

This title, gained on their very first joint quest, got here virtually precisely one yr after one other Australian duo had secured it for themselves.

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis fashioned the aptly named Particular Ks. A nod to the breakfast cereal, the nickname launched a tonne of tie-ins like this t-shirt.

Conserving issues within the southern commonwealth, there was the golden age of the Woodies, Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, who took dwelling 61 professional titles together with 11 Slams and a couple of Olympic medals (gold in 1996 and silver in 2000).

And as for the obvious nickname, it nonetheless stays the best and establishes the best doubles pair of all time: the Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike.

The twins gained twice as many ATP titles because the Woodies (119), 16 majors and Olympic gold (2012). Bob being left-handed and Mike being right-handed made them the proper pair.

Final however not least is essentially the most unlikely staff.

Learn extra from Paul Rivard.

In Might 2022, the tallest man on the ATP Tour joined forces with the shortest, and collectively they claimed the doubles crown on the clay in Rome. Quicker than a rushing bullet, John Isner and Diego Schwartzman grew to become Isnerman—a superhero nickname that caught from the get-go.

YEA OR NAY?

Getting again to Shauger.

Do you prefer it?

Alexandre Régimbald, who hosts the weekly Sur La Ligne Nationwide Financial institution Open podcast and was on the match, questioned if Shapoliassime may be a better option.