Canadians Denis Shapovalov, Vasek Pospisil off to second round in Shanghai
CThe Canadian Press
anadians Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil have advanced to the second round of the Shanghai Masters. Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ont., beat American Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-2 on Monday.
Vancouver's Pospisil, a qualifier for the tournament, upset No. 14 seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 7-6 (2), 6-2.
The 20-year-old Shapovalov, ranked 36th in the world, won 27 of 29 points on first serve en route to a win over the 51st-ranked Tiafoe.
The first game of the match stretched to 15 minutes before Tiafoe held serve, but Shapovalov eventually took control with a break in the first set and two more in the second.
“The start of the match was really important and I was trying to step up from the first game,” Shapovalov said. “I think the first game helped me find a rhythm on his serve.”
Shapovalov, who has won 10 of his past 14 matches after some rough months during much of the spring and summer, next faces world No. 1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
He took Djokovic to four sets in the third round of the Australian Open, but only won four games in the second round at the Rome Masters.
“He's beaten me twice so there's not much for me to lose, so I'll just go out there and enjoy myself,”z Shapovalov said. “I'll go out there and give it all I have.
“It's going to be a tough one, but I have a great game and I think I have a chance to beat him.”
Pospisil, whose ranking has slipped to 248th after a back injury sidelined him for the first half of 2019, now has two main-draw wins on the season.
Both have been upsets. He beat thenworld No. 9 Karen Khachanov of Russia in the opening round of the U.S. Open before his win Monday over the 16thranked Schwartzman.
Pospisil was dominant with his first serve against Schwartzman, winning all 33 points when he got it in. Eleven of those were aces.
Pospisil will face world No. 63 Joao Sousa of Portugal in the second round on Tuesday.
Montreal's Felix Auger-aliassime faces qualifier Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in a first-round match on Tuesday.