Denis Shapovalov fell short of a 2-0 set comeback in the second round at Roland-Garros on Thursday while Gabriel Diallo was unable to build from his first-round upset.
Shapovalov couldn’t make it a third-straight third round at the French Open, losing 7-6(5), 7-6(6), 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 to Austrian No. 2 Filip Misolic.
The 26-year-old converted 38 per cent of his break points, however, Shapovalov struggled on serve in crucial moments throughout the match, winning 68 per cent of his first-serve points and 51 per cent on his second delivery.
After breezing through the first round, Shapovalov got off to an ideal start in his second match in Paris. The former world No. 10 was able to secure the early break after firing a crosscourt backhand winner at 30-40, one of his 53 winners in the match, in the opening game.
In the sixth game, Misolic converted on his first break point of the opening set. Shapovalov then had three opportunities to reclaim the lead, though the Austrian served well under pressure to hold for his first lead at 4-3.
Read Also: Bianca Andreescu - “I’ve Never Felt More Committed to my Craft”
Misolic’s lead was short-lived as the Canadian No. 2 won the following two games in a combined four minutes to put himself in a spot to serve for the set. However, Shapovalov was unable to close it out.
Later, in the tiebreaker, the 26-year-old from Richmond Hill erased a 5-3 deficit but ultimately dropped the opener.
To start the second set, Shapovalov couldn’t find his rhythm on return. Misolic dropped just one point in his first three service games while managing a break.
In similar fashion to the first set, Shapovalov turned a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 lead in the blink of an eye, winning eight-straight points. The Canadian was unable to break again, though, as another tiebreak was eventually needed.
The Canadian found himself down a minibreak but, from 2-4, Shapovalov won four-straight points to hold a pair of set points. However, Misolic responded with four-straight points of his own, firing a trio of winners to take a two-set lead.
Looking to extend the match, Shapovalov breezed through the third set. The world No. 31 converted on his two break points early in the set to jump ahead to a 4-1 lead.
Read Also: Tennis Canada confirms 2025 UNMATCHED - Gender Equity in Sports Conference keynote speaker
Shapovalov was broken in the sixth game, committing three of his 66 unforced errors in the match, though the Canadian was unfazed and served out the set when the time came. Shapovalov won 73 per cent of his first-serve points and had two aces to keep the match alive.
To begin the fourth, the Canadian No. 2 found himself in a 15-40 hole in his first service game. Under pressure, Shapovalov saved both break points and held after three deuces.
At 4-4, the 26-year-old from Richmond Hill held a pair of his own break points at 15-40. Shapovalov hit his return into the net on the first but converted on the ensuing point to secure the vital break.
Serving to send the match to a decisive set, the Canadian saved a break point before erasing Misolic’s two-set lead.
Although Shapovalov had three opportunities for an early break in the final set, the Dallas Open champion couldn’t convert. The Canadian then had to save three break points in the following game but was unable to hold after saving two.
Read Also: Djokovic wins 100th title
Frustrations began to boil over for Shapovalov as Misolic shot out to a 4-1 lead. At 5-3, the Canadian had a pair of chances to keep the match alive at 15-40. However, Misolic won four of the next five points to set himself up for match point where Shapovalov hit his backhand long.
The Austrian will play three-time Roland-Garros winner Novak Djokovic in the third round.
Diallo Stumbles Against Griekspoor
Gabriel Diallo was unable to back up his upset round-one win over Francisco Cerundolo at Roland-Garros, bowing out in the second round of the French Open at the hands of Tallon Griekspoor in four sets on Thursday.
While he showed flashes of brilliance, the young Canadian was unable to maintain control for any significant length of time. Griekspoor played better in the clutch moments, walking away with a 7-5, 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-3 win in exactly three hours.
Despite a scoreline strongly in the Dutchman’s favour, there was very little between the two men. They each broke serve six times, had the same number of aces and double faults, and won the same percentage of first-serve points. Diallo had more winners, 51 to 39, but also committed three more unforced errors. In the end, Griekspoor won just four more total points.
Griekspoor got hot early in the first set. From 1-1, 0-15, the Dutchman went on a run, winning 12 of the next 13 points, including a break, to race out to a quick 4-1 lead. But almost as quickly as he built his advantage, it vanished. Diallo responded with a run of his own, not trailing in the next three games as he clawed back to 4-4.
Serving to stay in the set at 5-6, Diallo blinked. A double fault followed by back-to-back errors put the Canadian in a love-40 hole and Griekspoor graciously accepted the gift he was handed, blasting a winner on the first set point.
Read also: University Canadians Fall Just Short of Repeats in NCAA
Diallo appeared to redeem himself with a break to open the second set, but the Dutchman quickly turned the tables. Griekspoor broke right back to kick off a four-game run, flipping a 0-1 deficit into a 4-1 lead.
Just like the first set, Diallo rallied from a 1-4 deficit to get back to 4-4. While he avoided getting broken late again, the Montrealer struggled in the tiebreak. Diallo scored a minibreak on the opening point only to drop the next five in a row, including three on his own serve, to fall behind 5-1. He never recovered as Griekspoor moved ahead by two sets.
Read Also: Will Roland-Garros be Alcaraz’s Coronation?
With the wind at his back, Griekspoor stumbled in the third set. In each of his first two service games, the Dutchman committed back-to-back errors to hand breaks to Diallo.
On his own serve, the Canadian was locked in. He never gave Griekspoor a chance to get back in it, dropping three total points on his own delivery as he took the set in just 25 minutes to extend the match.
As quickly as it seemed Diallo was going to turn the tide, Griekspoor wrestled back control. In the Canadian's first service game of the fourth set, the Dutchman set up a double break point with a backhand winner. On the second, Diallo attempted a serve and volley but Griekspoor lazered a tight backhand return to go up 2-0.
Read also: Auger-Aliassime eliminated in Roland-Garros first round after two-set lead disappears
While Diallo did manage to break back to get to 2-3, that was the last gasp. Griekspoor immediately broke again and never surrendered the lead the rest of the way.
Diallo still remains in the doubles draw after a first-round win on Wednesday. Victoria Mboko is the only Canadian alive in singles.
Feature Photo : Martin Sidorjak
