American Tommy Paul signed his first career ATP Tour triumph, defeating Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in three sets of 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the final of the Stockholm Tennis Open Saturday.
This first triumph for the 24-year-old American came at the expense of the defending champion, Shapovalov having won the tournament in two identical 6-4 sets against Serbian Filip Krajinovic in 2019. The event was not presented. in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The duel was played out during the last three games of the ultimate set. Faced with two breakage balls, Paul held on to bring the score 4-4. He then broke Shapovalov’s serve without losing a single point and shut out the Canadian again in the final game.
Paul ended the duel with a decisive forehand volley on his first match point, as he came to the net to support a powerful first serve.
Paul crowned the best week of his professional career. A week during which he eliminated the Briton Andy Murray and his compatriots Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe.
This victory also ensures him to climb inside the top-50, he who occupied the 52nd rank before the start of the tournament.
“It took my best tennis to beat Denis,” Paul said on the court after the game. “It was the tennis tournament that gave me the greatest pleasure. “
“With a week like this, it was only a matter of time,” Shapovalov noted.
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