Alexander Bublik Upsets Denis Shapovalov In Madrid - UBITENNIS

Alexander Bublik Upsets Denis Shapovalov In Madrid

Alexander Bublik knocked Denis Shapovalov out of Madrid to reach the last 16 in the Spanish capital.

By Elias Laradi
3 Min Read

The world number 44 sent the number 11 seed packing in three sets.

Alexander Bublik pulled off the upset of the day beating the number 11 seed Denis Shapovalov in three sets 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to book his spot in the third round of the Mutua Madrid Open.

On an empty Stadium 3 it was the Kazak who got off to the better start earning a chance to break in the very first game of the match but the Canadian was able to save it.

The very next game the world number 14 responded by earning two breakpoints of his very own but again it was the Kazak turn to save them and hold serve.

At 2-1 the Toronto native had a chance to take the lead and he took to take a 3-1 lead and thats where the first set turned on its head. The Canadian would double fault three times in a row to give the world number 44 a chance to go back on serve and that’s exactly what happened.

Drama ensued as Shapovalov would yell at the top of his lungs and was given a code violation which made him incensed and he argued with the chair umpire arguing he didn’t say anything bad.

At 4-4 Bublik had several chances to break and at the third time of asking he would get the breakthrough and serve out the first set.

The first four games of the second set went with serve and at 2-2 Shapovalov played some survival tennis and managed to save three breakpoints before being able to hold serve.

At 5-4 the Canadian found himself at set point but once again was denied by the world number 44 and managed to hold serve before once again applying pressure on the number 11 seed serve.

At 6-5 Shapovalov called for the trainer to treat a blister on his finger and managed to convert a set point on his opponent serve the very next game to force a third and deciding set.

The first six games of the final set were on serve and we didn’t see a single breakpoint until 3-3 when the Kazak had three chances to break and he would only need one to earn the crucial break and serve out the match.

Bublik will now face the winner of the match of Aslan Karatsev vs Diego Schwartzman in the third round.

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