Canadian Denis Shapovalov struggled on Roman clay before beating home favorite Lorenzo Sonego in three sets 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3 in the first round of the Tennis Open from Italy, Monday morning.
Shapovalov, the 13and seed of the tournament, took 3 hours and 10 minutes to oust his opponent at Foro Italico. It was the first match between the two players on the ATP Tour.
Sonego gave Shapovalov a hard time, especially in the second set. The representative of the maple leaf himself seemed a little overwhelmed by the lack of consistency in his game.
Shapovalov notably committed seven double faults along the way, and he converted just 3 of his 13 break points against Sonego, 28and world racket. In addition, he only put 50% of his first serve points in play, compared to 67% for the Italian, and conceded the break three times in seven occasions.
Towards the end of the second set, Shapovalov was punished for unsportsmanlike conduct after jumping over the net to show a ball mark on the clay on his opponent’s side, which is prohibited.
The referee determined that the Canadian’s serve was on the outside, resulting in a double fault and offering a break point to Sonego. Then, with the penalty imposed on him, Shapovalov lost the game and trailed 5-3.
“A lot of things happened in the heat of the moment. I have to behave better, Shapovalov mentioned. It was a mistake. I now know the rules. I will no longer jump over the net. »
Even after crossing the net, the Ontarian continued to argue.
The 13and seed then asked for the intervention of the referee on his side of the net and signaled that a spectator was insulting him.
“I’m not going to send him off, because I didn’t see him do it,” replied the referee. I saw you talking to him, and you threw some fuel on the fire. I understand your frustration. »
After the game, Shapovalov apologized to the referee.
The Ontarian had reached the semi-finals in Rome two years ago, while Sonego found himself in the semi-finals last year.
Despite his outburst at the spectators, Shapovalov said he enjoyed playing in Rome. “The spectators like me, and I like the spectators,” he said. Even after the meeting, many of them were waiting for me, to take pictures and do things like that. »
“I can’t wait to play my next match, which won’t be against an Italian,” concluded the main interested party.
The Ontarian will face Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili in the second round, who defeated Briton Daniel Evans 7-6 (2), 6-2.
Meanwhile, Stanislas Wawrinka scored his first win in nearly a year and a half coming from behind to stun American Reilly Opelka 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. Wawrinka is back on the tour after undergoing two foot surgeries last year.
Among the day’s other winners are Karan Khachanov, Jenson Brooksby, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Botic van de Zandschulp, a recent runner-up in Munich.
In addition, Félix Auger-Aliassime has an appointment in the second round on Tuesday with Davidovich Fokina. The Quebecer, 8and seeded, was granted a bye in the first round.
Cold sweats for Fernandez
On the women’s side, Quebec’s Leylah Annie Fernandez overcame a slow start before ousting Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 14and seeded in the tournament, in three sets of 1-6, 6-2 and 6-2 in the first round.
The 19-year-old Lavalloise took 1 hour and 51 minutes to overcome the Russian. The 18and racquet in the world, who was a finalist at the US Open last fall, will face another Russian player in the next round, Daria Kasatkina, who defeated Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek 6-4, 6-3.
For her part, 2020 Italian Open champion Simona Halep beat Alizé Cornet 6-4, 6-4, while Victoria Azarenka edged Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 6-0.
Ontario’s Bianca Andreescu will face defending US Open champion Emma Raducanu of Great Britain on Tuesday.