Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov both cruised by their Rolex Shanghai Masters second-round matchups on Saturday, dropping a combined 11 games in their straight-sets wins.
Auger-Aliassime was back in the win column in his first match since the US Open semifinal. The world No. 13 defeated Alejandro Tabilo 6-3, 6-3 to reach the last 32 in Shanghai.
Things weren’t easy for Auger-Aliassime on serve. The Montrealer faced seven break points but managed to fend all off while firing 11 aces. Auger-Aliassime also broke Tabilo three times on the day.
In what looked like an easy hold for the Canadian No. 1 in his opening service game, Auger-Aliassime let a 40-love advantage slip but still held after back-to-back unreturned serves at deuce.
At 3-3, the Canuck was aggressive on return and held triple break point, converting on the first try. Auger-Aliassime then held to put the pressure on Tabilo to serve to stay alive in the set at 3-5.
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The Canadian needed just one break point in the ninth game to force a second-straight loss of serve, after a nearly nine-minute game, as Auger-Aliassime took the opening set.
To start the second, the Montreal-native faced his first break points of the match at 15-40 but saved both thanks to two-straight aces before eventually holding.
Auger-Aliassime dealt with three more break points in the set as both players held until the crucial eighth game where the Canadian broke to set up the chance to serve for the match. At 5-3, 40-15, Auger-Aliassime capped off the contest with an ace, recording the win in 85 minutes.
The 25-year-old will meet world No. 81 Jesper de Jong in the third round on Monday. The Dutchman upset world No. 16 Jakub Mensik in round two.
Shapovalov Comfortably Books Spot in Third Round
Shapovalov took just over an hour to beat Australian Christopher O’Connell 6-3, 6-2 in the Shanghai second round on Saturday.
The Canadian No. 2 matched Auger-Aliassime’s ace tally with 11 but was unable to escape the match unscathed on his delivery, broken once on three break points faced. However, Shapovalov broke O’Connell four times to improve to 2-0 against the Aussie No. 8.
After a hold in each player’s opening service game, Shapovalov took control of the first set. At 1-1, the Richmond Hillian lost just two points over the next three games to lead 4-1.
Shapovalov was broken in the seventh game but quickly broke back to maintain his advantage. Serving for the set at 5-3, the Canadian committed one of his three double faults at 30-all and was faced with a break point. Shapovalov saved and eventually held, taking 12 minutes to seal the opening set.
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The Canuck piled the pressure on O’Connell’s delivery early in the second. Shapovalov had five break points in the Aussie’s first two service games and broke once. The world No. 24 held in the fourth game to take a 3-1 advantage in the set.
At 4-2, 30-40, Shapovalov went on the attack early in the rally and once again broke to gain the opportunity to serve for the set and match. The Richmond Hillian needed just one match point at 40-15 as his serve was too much for O’Connell to handle.
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The comfortable win for Shapovalov sets up a third-round match against world No. 19 Jiri Lehecka on Monday.
Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak
