Canadian Denis Shapovalov didn’t have the stay in Montreal that he wanted as he retired in the third set of his opening-round match against Zachary Svajda at the National Bank Open on Tuesday.
Shapovalov was coming off a run to the final at an ATP 250 event last week in Los Cabos, Mexico, but he revealed Tuesday that he picked up an ankle injury in that match.
He trailed Svajda 6-4, 4-6, 0-3 when he retired from the ATP Masters 1000 event early.
“It’s been pretty painful the last few days, and definitely not easy with the travel and everything,” said Shapovalov, 27. “But of course, playing in Canada, I wanted to make my best effort to play in front of the fans. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get past the finish line.”
The former World No. 10, who has won four titles on tour but none this year, went on to express his frustration with injuries in what he described as “an annoying year.”
“Even weeks like Munich, where I was kind of building some momentum, were interrupted by pains and aches,” he said. “And it’s just been kind of one thing after another it feels like. So it’s frustrating. I played Wimbledon with a fractured rib. I played here with a swollen ankle. And I’m still competing. I’m still close to these guys.
“So the key for me is to try to take a bit more time and be healthy.”
Svajda, who overcame 38 unforced errors as well as Shapovalov’s 6-of-9 mark in saving break points, will face No. 18 seed Arthur Fils of France in the second round.
The majority of matches early Tuesday were going the full three sets, and they weren’t going the Canadians’ way. Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante beat Canadian qualifier Duncan Chan 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (3), and Spaniard Daniel Merida rallied past Canadian wild card Liam Draxl 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Frenchman Terence Atmane saved 7 of 9 break points and hit nine aces in battling past British wild card Jack Draper 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz knocked out Marcos Giron 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
Other first-round winners included Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, Argentina’s Sebastian Baez and Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Jenson Brooksby, France’s Valentin Royer, Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan, British qualifier Jacob Fearnley, Australian qualifier Alexei Popyrin and Greek qualifier Stefanos Tsitsipas.
In addition, Belgian 27th seed Alexander Blockx advanced to the third round via walkover against Spain’s Jaume Munar. Some second-round matches were slated for Tuesday evening.
–Field Level Media
