Canadian tennis player Denis Shapovalov saw his track slowed by South African Lloyd Harris, in three identical rounds 6-4, in the third round of the US Open on Saturday in New York.
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Apparently the world’s 10th racket wasn’t able to impose its own rhythm as it had been in the previous two rounds.
Even when he was the first to break his opponent in a set, which happened in the second and third sets, Shapovalov could not achieve this. On each occasion, Harris would return to his service after a few matches.
The ATP’s 46th racket has responded to every attack by the Canadians, as evidenced by five outages on nine occasions. Shapovalov’s problems with balls in hand were not only apparent on Harris’ break chances. Ontarians only made 68% of their first balls in play, plus have the upper hand in 68% of pools after a successful first serve. This statistic drops to 33% when “Shapo” turns his second ball.
For his part, Harris made 10 aces and converted 72% of his first balls, as well as winning 75% of pools in such conditions. He also offered many opportunities to break Shapovalov (8), but, unlike his opponent, he was able to save furniture (6) more often.
Even on winning shots and non-forced errors, Harris (26;23) was more dominant than Shapovalov (24;40), and in the next round, Harris will face American Riley Opelka. The Rogers Cup finalist in Toronto defeated Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili in three sets 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-4. Pospisil lost in the doubles
In the men’s doubles division, Canadian Vasek Pospisil and his Danish partner Frederik Nielsen have found themselves on the wrong side in each of their last two matches, against Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Romania’s Horia Tecau, in the second round, bending 7-6 (12) and 7-6 ( 4).
Neither pair was able to break the other, although the winners had nine chances to do so, including five in one match, in the first half.
For their part, Nielsen and Pospisil had the opportunity to break without being able to take advantage.
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