Surging Denis Shapovalov was shot by Roger Federer in Miami | ATP Tour

Denis Shapovalov opened the door of ATP Rankings' top 20 club Thursday night after the match against #NextGenATP fellow Frances Tiafoe at the Miami Open presented by Itau. The Canadian badured that he would reach a record career mark in the Top 20 on Monday after reaching his third semifinal of the ATP Masters 1000 thanks to a 6-7 (5), 6 -4 and 6-2 the American.

For a place in the final, the southpaw will face for the first time the champion three times Roger Federer, after Switzerland has outperformed the sixth favorite Kevin Anderson in two sets. This was Shapovalov's third Masters 1000 semifinal, and the teenager has now been victorious on all three occasions (also 2017 Canada and 2018 Madrid).

But it was not easy against Tiafoe, champion of Delray Beach in 2018, who scratched and scratched. The match was entertaining throughout the match, both players kicked the ball from the base and showed their willingness to dive into the net. But Shapovalov's forehand was the biggest player making the difference in the podium. The 19-year-old advanced after two hours and fifteen minutes.

The key to the match was the end of the second set and the beginning of the decision maker. Shapovalov led 5-1 in the second set, but Tiafoe seemed to have fought back when he had brought her back to 5-4. Although he did not deserve the set, he discovered a high level of tennis and almost managed to score the point in the Canadiens' third set of the first service match, forcing the southpaw to make two points.

But Shapovalov was able to control the meetings with his forehand under pressure, escaping the match. And while Tiafoe had invented incredible tennis to save the first three points of the break that he had faced in the next game, the 21-year-old struck a setback to give Shapovalov the advantage.

Shapovalov raised his level even higher. And this time, he did not let out a double lead, gaining the point as he was serving for the match before his big left-wing service overwhelmed Tiafoe in a match.

Shapovalov and his countryman Felix Auger-Alibadime, who advanced Wednesday, are the first teenagers to go to the semifinals in Miami the same year since Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray managed the feat in 2017, at age 19 .

Tiafoe arrived in Miami after losing five of her previous six games. But the American found the tennis that helped him to go to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open two months ago, qualifying for his first quarter-final Masters 1000.

Did you know?
Shapovalov beat three consecutive opponents who competed in the ATP Next Gen finals: Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Tiafoe.