Denis Shapovalov and Milos Raonic both withdrew from the 2023 Shanghai Masters, the penultimate ATP 1000 event.
Both Canadians are having far from an ideal tennis season. While Shapovalov played his last match at Wimbledon, Raonic competed only at four events this year, with his most recent outing being a straight-sets loss to Stefanos Tstsipas at the 2023 US Open.
That came after the experienced Canadian showed some promise, beating the likes of Miomir Kecmanovic, Dennis Novak, Taro Daniel, but also Frances Tiafoe, who Raonic defeated on home soil at the 2023 Canadian Open in Toronto.
Also Shapovalov managed to record some solid wins in 2023, but his win record stands at the lowest number in his career, as the young Canadian recorded only 13 wins in 2023, while also having the same amount of losses.
Moreover, after a series of withdrawals, it really seemed that his 2023 season would be over, and with another withdrawal, it seems even more inevitable. It's clear that Shapovalov wants to avoid rushing things, but he also doesn't seem to want to give up the idea of ending his 2023 season prematurely.
Regardless of both player's stories and accomplishments, neither of them will make an appearance at the 2023 Shanghai Masters, as they both announced withdrawals a week before the tournament's start, as the ATP 1000 tournament in China is scheduled to run from October 4th to 15th.
Yet, the entry list for the 2023 Shanghai Masters is still full of names such as Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, but also Holger Rune and Casper Ruud, and while fans will be disappointed not to see Raonic and Shapovalov perform, they would certainly gladly sacrifice their participation at this event for better results in the months to come.
While one has still a lot to prove and achieve, the other one is seemingly just enjoying what seems to be his farewell and some of the last months on the ATP Tour.
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