Denis Shapovalov of Canada progressed to the quarterfinals of the Stockholm Open tennis tournament by defeating local favorite Leo Borg with a score of 6-2, 5-7, 6-1. Shapovalov, seeded third in the competition, showcased a strong performance with six aces and an impressive 83% first serve points won against Borg, the 22-year-old son of Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg. Borg, who received a wild-card entry to the ATP 250 event in Stockholm, struggled on his serves, facing a total of 18 break points during the match, managing to defend 11 of them.
Although Borg appeared to dominate the second set by securing three breaks in a four-game winning streak, Shapovalov, ranked 23rd globally, swiftly turned the tables in the third set, claiming victory with five consecutive game wins after a solid start by both players. The 26-year-old Shapovalov, hailing from Richmond Hill, Ont., is set to face either Jacob Fearnley from Britain or another Swedish wild card Elias Ymer in the upcoming match.
In a separate event, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo exited the Almaty Open tennis tournament following a tough 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-4 defeat to Australian qualifier James Duckworth in the second-round match held in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Despite Diallo’s impressive 22 aces and an 82% accuracy on his first serves, Duckworth managed to secure the win without facing any break points throughout the match, which lasted over two and a half hours. Diallo, the fourth seed, resisted eight break points but ultimately succumbed to Duckworth’s crucial break, putting him at a disadvantage in the third set.
Duckworth is now set to challenge third seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy in the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 event. This match marks the first main-draw encounter between the two players, with Diallo having previously defeated Duckworth in the qualifiers at the 2022 National Bank Open in Montreal. With this defeat, Diallo’s season record stands at 28-22, as the 35th ranked player in the world.
Furthermore, Leylah Fernandez, the fourth seed from Laval, Que., is scheduled to compete against Hungary’s Dalma Galfi in the second round of the Japan Women’s Open in Osaka on Thursday (Wednesday night ET).
