Denis Shapovalov advanced to the Australian Open third round for the first time in his career
Canadian Next Gen star Denis Shapovalov beat Japan’s Taro Daniel 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 after 2 hours and eight minutes to reach the third round at the Australian Open for the first time in his career. Shapovalov hit 43 winners including 16 aces.
Shapovalov broke serve for the first time in the eighth game to win the opening set 6-3. He fended off break points at 1-1 and at 4-4 in the second set. Both players went on serve until the tie-break, where Shapovalov earned four set points at 6-2 and converted his first chance.
Shapovalov broke serve in the fourth game of the third set to take a 3-1 lead and rallied from 15-40 in the fifth game. He held his next two service games to close out the third set 6-3.
“It was another exceptional match for me. Obviously he is a very tough opponent. I knew going in. I knew it was going to be tough. I am really happy to get through that in straight sets. I was not expecting that, to be honest. I felt that in the second set he had a couple of chances. I was able to play big tennis. I am really proud today. After I got that tie-break in the second set, I knew that the momentum was kind of with me, so I just tried to stay on it. I played a good game to break, then just served well. I think I have been serving really well in the last couple of day”,said Shapovalov in the post match interview.
Shapovalov will face the winner of the second round clash between Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the re-match of the 2008 Australian Open final.
“It’s a great spot for me to be in right now. Playing third round against either Tsonga or Novak whoever it is, in a slam like this. I am 19 years old. It’s a dream come true for me. I am just going to go out there, enjoy myself. Like I said. I have been playing really good tennis. I feel like I can take it to them and hopefully come up with the win. I am definitely going to try to go out there and win. I am not just going to come out on court and enjoy my time. I am going to put out a fight and try to do everything I can to try to come out with the win”.
Australian wild-card Alexei Popyrin was leading 7-5 6-4 2-0, when 2018 Roland Garros champion Dominic Thiem was forced to retire injured. The 19-year-old Sydney born player reached the third round at the Australian Open for the first time on his second appearance at this tournament. Popyrin will face Lucas Pouille, who battled past German Maximilian Marterer 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (10-8) 5-7 6-4 after 3 hours and 22 minutes. The Frenchman fended off one set point at 6-7 in the tie-break of the first set and two more set points at 5-6 and 7-8 in the tie-break of the second set.
Fabio Fognini beat Leonardo Mayer 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 7-6 (7-5) in a match interrupted by rain setting up a third round match against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta, who beat Ilya Ivashka 6-2 6-3 7-6 (9-7).
Fognini did not convert two break points in the first game of the opening set. The Italian player fended off a break point at 2-2. The first set came down to the tie-break, where Fognini got two mini-breaks with a deep return and a down the line backhand.
In the second set Fognini broke serve in the fourth game with a backhand down the line to open up a 3-1 lead and held his service game in the fifth game before the match was interrupted by rain. He held his next service games to cruise through to winning the second set 6-3.
Fognini got his second break of the match in the third game after a double fault from Mayer to open up a 4-1 lead. Mayer broke back for the first time in the match in the seventh game after three unforced errors from Fognini. The former Australian Open doubles champion sealed the tie-break of the third set 7-5 on his first match point after 2 hours and 23 minutes.
