Former world no. 10 Denis Shapovalov has yet to find the desired form in 2024, missing the top-100 return after a mediocre 18-20 score on the main level. The Canadian suffered early losses in Montreal and New York before earning three wins for his country in the Davis Cup.
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Instead of traveling to Beijing or Tokyo for the qualifying draw, Denis remained in Europe and entered the Co'met Orleans Open Challenger, returning to this level only for the second time after 2017! World no. 101 made an impressive debut on an indoor hard court, toppling Benjamin Hassan 6-3, 6-1 in 51 minutes, notching his first Challenger triumph in over seven years!
The Canadian served at 50%, but no one could notice that. He dropped six points in his games, facing no break points and mounting the pressure on the other side. Hassan could not follow that pace, giving away almost half of the points in his games and getting broken four times from five chances presented to his rival.
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Denis Shapovalov is off to a winning start at the Orleans Challenger.
A left-hander found the rhythm right from the start, closing the opening game of the duel at love after a backhand crosscourt winner.
The former top-10 player created two break chances in the second game and seized the first with a smash winner for an early advantage. Shapovalov cemented the break with a hold at 30 in game three before Hassan reduced the deficit with a service winner in the next one.
Denis held at love in the fifth game and mirrored that two games later, landing a service winner and forging a 5-2 lead. Benjamin served to stay in the set in the eighth game and brought it home at love, extending the battle and hoping for one last chance on the return.
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Instead, the Canadian fired three powerful serves in the ninth game, wrapping up the opener 6-3 in 24 minutes. World no. 101 made a push on the return in the first game of the second set and converted a break chance after the rival's huge forehand error, moving a set and a break in front.
Shapovalov cemented the break with a service winner in game two and held at 15 two games later for a 3-1 lead, marching toward the top. Hassan sprayed a backhand error in the fifth game, losing serve at 15 and moving closer to the exit door.
Denis grabbed the sixth game with another powerful serve, opening a 5-1 advantage and forcing his rival to serve to stay in the match. The Canadian climbed back from 0-30 and generated a match point with a forehand return winner. Shapovalov converted it, sprinting into the second round and celebrating his first Challenger win since 2017.
