Match Report
Shapovalov soars to first last since 2022 in Belgrade
Medjedovic beats fellow Serbian Djere to achieve first ATP Tour last
November 08, 2024
Serbia Open
Denis Shapovalov didn’t face a break level in his Belgrade semi-final victory.
By ATP Workers
Denis Shapovalov continued his dominant Belgrade Open run on Friday to advance to his first ATP Tour last since his Vienna runner-up end in October 2022. The Canadian qualifier eased to a 6-2, 6-1 victory towards fourth seed Jiri Lehecka to advance to his seventh tour-level last and his fifth on indoor laborious courts.
The 25-year-old has misplaced only one set and one break level in his 4 main-draw victories this week. With an aggressive recreation plan within the semi-finals, he didn’t enable Lehecka a break probability, profitable 96 per cent (25/26) of his first-serve factors, in accordance with Infosys ATP Stats.
“In opposition to a man like Jiri, in case you do not go after him, he will dictate the courtroom,” Shapovalov stated after spoiling the Czech’s twenty third birthday. “So for certain I used to be making an attempt to play my recreation, play aggressive, actually take it to him from the start.”
Up 17 locations to No. 61 within the PIF ATP Dwell Rankings this week, Shapovalov will transfer to the brink of the Prime 50 if he can beat dwelling favorite Hamad Medjedovic of their first Lexus ATP Head2Head matchup in Saturday’s last. The Canadian will probably be enjoying for his second ATP Tour title (Stockholm 2019).
… after which there have been ✌️#BelgradeOpen pic.twitter.com/mrTjBAWLEW
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 8, 2024
Medjedovic superior to his first tour-level last by coming by way of an all-Serbian battle towards Laslo Djere, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(2). The Belgrade wild card gained the title on the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals introduced by PIF final yr and is looking for to as soon as once more shut his season with a trophy.
The 21-year-old is the third-youngest Serbian to achieve his first ATP Tour last after Novak Djokovic (Amersfoort 2006) and Miomir Kecmanovic (Antalya 2019) each performed their first finals at 19.
Whereas Medjedovic will benefit from the backing of his dwelling crowd in Saturday’s championship match, Shapovalov has additionally felt loads of help from the Serbian followers this week.
“I did not know I had so many Serbian followers,” the Canadian stated. “I believe it is as a result of I lose to Novak each time, so possibly they like me!”
