Shapovalov upset in first round
Unseeded Rune eliminates Canadian in straight sets
PARIS Canada’s Denis Shapovalov was bounced from the French Open in the Grand Slam tournament’s first round on Tuesday.
The product of Richmond Hill lost to Denmark’s Holger Rune 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (4).
Shapovalov was the 14th seed headed into the clay-court event and Rune — ranked 40th in the world — was unseeded.
“It was difficult. For sure I wasn’t able to bring out my best performance. It’s definitely frustrating,” Shapovalov said. “But yeah, it just shows I have a lot to work on.”
Shapovalov had six aces to Rune’s none in the match Tuesday, but the teenager was dominant in virtually all other categories.
The 19-year-old Rune had a better win percentages on first and second serve, he took five of nine break points, and won 64 service points to Shapovalov’s 46.
Shapovalov committed 53 unforced errors to Rune’s 19, and the Canadian’s six aces were cancelled out by six double faults.
Shapovalov fought back in the third set to force a tiebreaker but fell behind 3-1 and couldn’t recover, sending a forehand wide on match point.
Rune, a rising star on the ATP Tour, won the BMW Open this month and was a semifinalist in Lyon last week.
“This is what you work for every day to be able to play the biggest tournaments. And to play these kind of players like Denis also is great for me. It’s amazing level. I’m super happy and pleased to be in this position right now,” said Rune. “To be able to have chances against these guys, to be able to, you know, win my first title in Munich was a huge step forward in my career. I’m really positive and working hard every day to get better.”
Elsewhere in the men’s draw, JoWilfried Tsonga dropped a 6-7 (8), 7-6 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (0) decision to No. 8 seed Casper Ruud.
Battling through a right shoulder injury, the Frenchman cried at the end of the final match of a professional tennis career that featured a spot at No. 5 in the rankings, a run to the 2008 Australian Open final and France’s first Davis Cup title in 16 years. He’s been limited to a total of 18 matches since the start of 2021, turned 37 last month, has a family now and knew this trip to Roland Garros would be the perfect way to bid adieu.
“It was pure madness today. One of the best atmospheres I have seen in my career (for) my last match. I couldn’t have asked for something better,” Tsonga said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better script, apart from the fact that I could have won.”
He appeared to have a chance to extend the match by breaking to go up 6-5 in the fourth set. But at the end of that game, he wrenched his shoulder, and that was that. Ruud quickly broke back, and Tsonga was visited by a trainer, who tried to help the situation but could not. During a three-minute medical timeout, a band in the stands got fans to clap and chant “Jo! Jo!” to the rhythm of a drumbeat, then played “La Marseillaise” as some in the seats sang along to France’s national anthem.
Day 3 of the tourney also saw firstround victories in the men’s bracket for U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev, No. 7 seed Andrey Rublev and No. 24 Frances Tiafoe, who had been 0-6 at Roland Garros.
Women who advanced to the second round included 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko, 2018 champion Simona Halep, No. 9 Danielle Collins, No. 11 Jessica Pegula and No. 22 Madison Keys.
Three Canadians are still competing at the French Open and will see action in Round 2 on Wednesday.
Bianca Andreescu, of Mississauga, will meet No. 14 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, Montreal’s Leylah Fernandez, the tournament’s 17th seed, will play Czech Katerina Siniakova, while ninth seeded Félix Auger-Aliassime, also of Montreal, meets Argentine qualifier Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
I wasn’t able to bring out my best performance. It’s definitely frustrating ... It just shows I have a lot to work on.
DENIS SHAPOVALOV