Shapovalov closes in on U.S. Open spot
Denis Shapovalov is one win way from earning a spot in the main draw of the U.S. Open tennis championship, while fellow Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime came up short in his second-round qualifying match in New York.
Shapovalov, the 18-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., who is coming off an improbable semifinal appearance at the Rogers Cup, defeated Gastao Elias of Portugal 6-3, 7-5. He will face Czech Jan Satral Friday for a spot in the main draw. Shapovalov, the No. 2 seed in the qualifying event, is No. 69 in the STP Tour rankings while Satral is 196.
Auger-Aliassime, the 17-year-old Montrealer, put up a fight before losing to fourth-seeded Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 7-6 (8), 6-4. Auger-Aliassime trailed 0-4 and 1-5 in the tiebreaker, but rallied to pull even and had two set points before Stakhovsky prevailed.
Francoise Abanda, a 20-year-old Montrealer, cruised past Antonia Lottner of Germany 6-4, 6-2. The 12th-seeded Abanda will play Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia for a spot in the women’s draw. Earlier this year, Abanda qualified for the French Open and Wimbledon and reached the second round in each event.
Two veteran Canadians are also alive in the men’s qualifying.
Peter Polansky, the 20th seed from Toronto, rallied to beat Blaz Rola of Slovenia 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. The 29-year-old will play American Tim Smyczek Friday. They have played five times, with Smyczek holding a 3-2 edge.
Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, who will turn 33 next month, outlasted Stephane Robert of France 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-5. Dancevic’s next opponent will be 27th-seeded Radu Albot of Moldova.
Montrealer Eugenie Bouchard earned a direct entry into the women’s singles draw and Vasek Pospisil is the lone Canadian with a direct entry in the men’s draw after Milos Raonic withdrew with a wrist injury.