Canadian Teenager Stuns Kyrgios In Toronto

Four Americans Push Through To Rogers Cup Second Round

July 26, 2016 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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Canadian wild card Denis Shapovalov shocked Australia’s Nick Kyrgios 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-3 in the first round of the Rogers Cup on Monday night, utilizing the supportive home crowd to nail down the biggest win of his young career.

“I think the atmosphere really carried me forward today,” said Shapovalov. “It’s toughing playing the first time on center court but by the end of the match I felt like the crowd really liked it when I was getting pumped up.”

After taking the first set in a tiebreaker, Shapovalov saw Kyrgios turn up his level in the second set. He broke for a 5-3 lead and went on to serve out the set.

But the 17-year old Shapovalov regrouped and secured the only break point of the deciding set, saving one of his own, to pull off the upset.

“It’s not the first time I have been so happy about a win,” said Shapovalov. “[The] tournament is not over. I could celebrate my win from Nick [Kyrgios] after the tournament, but now I’m going to focus for [Grigor] Dimitrov.”

Shapovalov will take on the Bulgarian in the second round. Dimitrov came back from a set down to beat Japan’s Yuichi Sugita 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-4 on Monday.

Ninth-seeded American Jack Sock came back from a set down in his Toronto opener as well, outlasting Dudi Sela 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to book his spot in the second round. He will take on fellow American Ryan Harrison next. Harrison defeated Andrey Kuznetsov 6-3, 6-1.

Jack Sock cruised past fellow American 6-2, 6-2, needing just one hour and eight minutes to advance.

American Sam Querrey, 12th seed Bernard Tomic, Kevin Anderson, Borna Coric, Gilles Muller, Mikhail Youzhny and Canada’s Steven Diez rounded out Monday’s winners in Toronto. 


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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