For only the second time in his professional tennis career, Denis Shapovalov has won an ATP tournament. On Saturday, Shapovalov defeated Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 6-4 to win the 2024 Belgrade Open in Serbia.
Shapovalov won the tournament when Medjedovic’s return of serve went long. After the victory, Shapovalov received the trophy from Serbian native Novak Djokovic, who has won a record 24 grand slam titles, an Olympic gold medal, and is currently the fifth best player in the world.
In the final, Shapovalov broke Medjedovic in both sets. Shapovalov only had two break point chances, and converted on both of them. Medjedovic had two break point chances himself, but did not break Shapovalov.
Shapovalov was also the better server, as he had 13 aces compared to three for Medjedovic. The Canadian also won 82% of his first serve points and 76% of his second serve points. Medjedovic won 65% of his first serve points and 62% of his second serve points.
Shapovalov’s first ATP title came at the 2019 Stockholm Open, where he beat another Serb Filip Krajinovic, 6-4, 6-4. Ironically, it was the exact same score where he beat Medjedovic.
Meanwhile, in women’s tennis, Canadian Olympic bronze medalist Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa, Ontario and her partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand, won the WTA Doubles Finals in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia. Dabrowski and Routliffe defeated Katerina Saniakova of the Czech Republic and Taylor Townsend of the United States in the final, 7-5, 6-3. Dabrowski’s Olympic bronze came in mixed doubles with Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal, Quebec at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
