Arseneault Falls to Defending Champion Popyrin in Second Round
Nicolas Arsenault put up a valiant effort but was unable to overcome Alexei Popyrin, falling to the defending National Bank Open champion 7-6(7), 6-3 in the second round on Tuesday.
The Canadian wildcard was playing in just the second ATP Tour main draw match of his career and did not look out of place facing a much more experienced opponent.
The 18-year-old did not look fazed in the biggest test of his career, going shot-for-shot with the world No. 26 throughout the first set. Like his opening match, Arseneault faced a break point on his first serve, but this time he was able to fight it off and earn the hold.
Read also: NBO Montreal Tuesday: Marino loses tough test against Navarro in National Bank Open second round
Arseneault had a chance to break and clinch the first set up 6-5, but, like his counterpart earlier in the match, Popyrin was able to fight off the only break point he would face to force a tiebreak.
Like the rest of the set, the tiebreak was extremely close, with neither man willing to concede on their service game. The Richmond Hill, Ont. native was the first to blink deep into the tiebreak, finally losing a point on his serve to lose the first set 7-6 (7).
Popyrin found his groove in the second set, gaining an early break and winning both his service games to go up 3-0. Arseneault showed life in his next service game and fought off a break to get on the board. However, the defending champion would show his experience and close out the match with three clean service games to take the set and the match.
Arseneault won his ATP main draw debut on Sunday with a straight-sets win over French qualifier Valentin Royer.
Popyrin advances to face the winner of tonight’s match between Daniil Medvedev and Dalibor Svrcina. The Australian is in search of his first title of the season and attempts to regain the form that helped him reach the fourth round at Roland-Garros this season.
-Jonathan Chan
Shapovalov stunned in homecoming by Tien
Denis Shapovalov’s return to playing in front a Toronto crowd ended in defeat at the hands of American teen Learner Tien in the National Bank Open second round on Tuesday.
Growing up in nearby Richmond Hill, the Canadian No. 2 played in front of a virtual hometown crowd for the first time in four years, losing out 7-6(4), 7-5. The loss was Shapovalov’s third-straight loss in Toronto.
The former world No. 10 ran into trouble on serve, ending the match with eight double faults and winning just 67 per cent of his first-serve points. Tien, who sits at a career-high 61st in the ATP rankings, had just eight winners compared to Shapovalov’s 13 but the American had just 11 unforced errors.
Read also: Shapovalov Embracing New Role as Rogers First Set Ambassador
Despite two double faults in his opening two service games, the Canadian faced little pressure on serve early on, before holding the match’s first break points at 3-2, 15-40. Tien saved the first but Shapovalov managed to break on the second opportunity.
At 5-3, with the Richmond Hillian serving for the set, two-straight double faults from Shapovalov put him on the wrong end of a double break point and the 26-year-old was broken. A Tien hold then evened the match at 5-5.
Later in the tiebreak, Shapovalov didn’t hold a lead as an early minibreak helped Tien lead by as much as 5-2. The Canadian mounted a slight comeback but the American took the opener.
Read also: Shapovalov Partners with Ontario SPCA as Part of Shapo Shelter Initiative
Undeterred, Shapovalov started the second set off strong. At 1-2, the world No. 28 won eight straight points to go up a break, but Tien broke back to even the set at 3-3
However, the Toronto faithful didn’t stay quiet for too long. The ensuing game at 40-15, an incredible pop fly catch by a ball girl fired up the crowd – and Shapovalov. The Richmond Hillian won another eight straight points to lead 5-3 and bring Sobeys Stadium to their feet.
Read also: Top ATP Stars Headline Mental Health Panel at NBO in Toronto
At 5-4, the Canadian No. 2 squandered the chance to serve out the set again and, in the 12th game, Shapovalov hit his 23rd unforced error on match point to send Tien to his first Masters 1000 third round.
Shapovalov hopped back into the ATP Top 30 after securing his second title of the year in Los Cabos just ten days ago.
-Francesco Tosini
Feature Photo: Tyler Anderson
