Russia’s Andrei Rublev rallied to beat Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 2-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (7) in a tough men’s singles third-round match on Saturday at the US Open.
Shapovalov, of Richmond Hill, Ont., had 23 aces and 76 winners in the match, which lasted four hours and seven minutes. But he also registered 72 unforced errors, compared to 38 for ninth-seeded Rublev, who finished with nine aces and 38 winners.
And while both players recorded four breaks of serve each, Rublev did so in half as many opportunities as Shapovalov (nine to 17). Shapovalov entered the match as the last remaining Canadian in Grand Slam singles.
Rublev broke Shapovalov for the fourth time to take a 5-4 lead in the fifth set, but the Canadian, after saving three match points, registered his fourth break of service to make it 5-5. The two then held serve to force the deciding tiebreak.
After trailing 3-0, Shapovalov came back to make it 3-3. Rublev took a 5-3 lead before the Canadian came back to make it 5-4.
Rublev led 8-4 and Shapovalov fought back to make it 8-6. And he managed to get close to 9-7, but that’s as close as Shapovalov would get.
Rublev and Shapovalov held serve for the first nine games of the first set before Rublev converted his first break attempt to secure the 6-4 victory. Shapovalov struggled on his first serve (39 percent) and failed to convert either of his two break points.
But the Canadian returned the favor in the second set, recording two break points en route to a convincing 5-1 advantage. After Rublev held serve, Shapovalov held it for a 6-2 win to level the match.
The Canadian improved his first serve to 51 percent entering the third set, hitting seven aces compared to just one for Rublev.
The two went back to holding serve for the first six games of the third set to force the tiebreak. But the Canadian got the better of him, securing the 7-3 win for the 2-1 advantage.
But Rublev forced a fifth and deciding set, taking the fourth 6-4. And while Shapovalov had fired 18 aces to that point — Rublev had five — the Canadian had just 52 percent on his first serve (Rublev was at 60 percent) and both players had registered three breaks apiece, though Shapovalov had doubled opportunities ( 14 to seven ).
HIGHLIGHTS: Earlier in the day, Leila Fernandez of Laval, Que., and her partner Daria Saville of Russia lost their second-round doubles match 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-7(10) by Bernarda Pera from Croatia and Dalma Galfia from Hungary. … Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski is now the last Canadian left at the US Open in New York. She and her doubles partner Julianna Olmos will play in Sunday’s round of 16 against Californians Ena Shibahara and Asia Muhammad.
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