Denis Shapovalov has turned simplicity to success in Belgrade this week.
Armed with a easy strategic mission—go for it—Shapovalov charged into his first ultimate since 2022 right now.
Canadian qualifier Shapovalov sped via eight of the final evening video games sweeping Jiri Lehecka 6-2, 6-1 to spoil the baseliner’s twenty third birthday and energy into the Belgrade ultimate.
The 78th-ranked Shapovalov is into his first Tour-level ultimate since he was runner-up to Daniil Medvedev within the Vienna ultimate in October of 2022.
Right this moment, the left-handed Shapovalov was almost untouchable on first serve.
Shapovalov served 68 p.c, gained 25 of 26 first-serve factors, 7 of 12 second-serve factors and didn’t face a break level in a dominant 56-minute thrashing.
Washington, DC quarterfinalist Shapovalov, who stumbled to opening-round losses in Montreal and the US Open, has discovered his groove in Belgrade.
“Towards a man like Jiri, when you don’t go after him, he’s going to dictate the courtroom,” Shapovalov stated. “So for certain I used to be making an attempt to play my sport, play aggressive, actually take it to him from the start.”
It was Lehecka’s twenty third birthday, however Shapovalov celebrated the win.
The victory vaults Shapovalov into the Belgrade ultimate in opposition to dwelling hero Hamad Medjedovic.
In an all-Serbian semifinal, world No. 156 Medjedovic squeezed out a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(2) win over Laslo Djere.
The 21-year-old wild card Medjedovic, who’s coached by former Serbian standout Viktor Troicki, is the third-youngest Serbian man to succeed in an ATP ultimate after Novak Djokovic and Miomir Kecmanovic. Djokovic and Kecmanovic had been each 19 after they performed their first Tour-level finals.
Saturday’s ultimate marks the primary conflict between Medjedovic and Shapovalov, who’s enjoying for his second ATP title and first since 2019 Stockholm.
