Denis Shapovalov is into the third round of the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships after beating Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 in one hour and one minute on court. The Canadian finished the match with a pretty impressive stat line of 26 winners and only 6 unforced errors.
” Not an easy win, Struff is a great player that I have struggled with in the past so it’s a huge victory for me,” Shapovalov said following his win. “It felt incredible out there. I was nervous a bit at the beginning but after I got through those emotions I was able to hold and I was able to elevate my game really well so I’m really happy with the win”
That nervous start was due to the fact he had never played in Dubai and the German was someone who had beat him in the past and caused some problems.
The world number 12 was slow out of the gates and Struff sensed that early on and put some early pressure on the Canadian’s opening service game. He would end up saving two big break points and held serve which completely turned the match on its head.
The very next game Shapovalov earned two breakpoints of his very own using his groundstrokes to great effect and would break to take an early 2-0 lead.
From there it was one way traffic after consolidating the break Shapovalov went for more and earned more breakpoints to go up a double break as the forehand and backhand were on full display. He would break once more and serve out the first set to take it 6-1 in only 28 minutes.
The second was a closer affair with the German playing a bit better and there wasn’t another breakpoint until 2-2 when the Canadian would set his first breakpoint of the set with another sensational backhand passing shot.
He would break on the following point as the world number 39 would send a volley long and the world number 12 would serve out the match only needing that break.
Shapovalov will next face Hubert Hurkacz who took care of Richard Gasquet in straight sets 6-3,6-4.
” Any match anything is possible, he is an amazing player, I’ve known him for a long time, we played a long time ago in juniors, we know each other really well, he’s a great guy so it’s going to be a really fun match”
Elsewhere on day 2 of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Australian Open quarter finalist Aslan Karatsev beat Dan Evans in three tight sets 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and Lorenzo Sonego of Italy ended the run of Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-2, 6-2.
