Denis Shapovalov delivers with upset win in Austria

Denis Shapovalov (Si Robi, Wikimedia Commons)

In an impressive performance of tennis on Wednesday, Denis Shapovalov of Toronto, Ontario came through with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win over Taylor Fritz of the United States in the second round of the Vienna Open. Fritz was the 2022 Indian Wells champion, the 10th ranked player in the world, and the fourth seed this past week in Vienna.

Shapovalov won 88% of the points on his first serve, and 79% of the points on his second serve. Fritz meanwhile only won 41% of the points on his second serve, and was broken four times by Shapovalov. Shapovalov got revenge against Fritz, as he lost to the 24-year-old Californian in the semifinals of the Japan Open in Tokyo earlier this month, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.

Fritz was the fourth higher-ranked player who Shapovalov has beaten in an ATP tournament this year. He previously beat the 16th seed, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, in the first round of Cincinnati, 7-6 6-3, Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain at the ATP Cup in Sydney, 6-4, 6-3, and the third seed, Alexander Zverev of Germany, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

Shapovalov will next play Dan Evans of Great Britain in the Vienna Open quarterfinals on Friday. Head-to-head Evans is 2-1 against Shapovalov, with Shapovalov’s lone win coming in the second round of Miam in 2019, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.

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