Denis Shapovalov is back in the winner’s circle after defeating favorite Hamad Medjedovic in the final of the Belgrade Open on Saturday. This is the second ATP title of his career, and his first since 2019.
Shapovalov played seven matches in Serbia before lifting the trophy, as he had to undergo qualifying. However, he was up to the challenge: he only conceded one set and dominated his last four duels, signing a final victory of 6-4 and 6-4 at the expense of Medjedovic, who took part in his first ATP Tour final.
The triumph also ends a streak of five final defeats for Shapovalov, who had not won since his first title in his first final in Stockholm in 2019.
As he did for most of the week, Shapovalov relied on his dominant serve to secure the victory. In the final, he produced 13 aces and won 82 percent of his first serves. He also won all the break points, realizing the two he had on the Serb’s offerings and fending off the two he faced.
A 45-minute delay at the start of the match did not seem to faze either player, as they won their service games with relative ease through the first eight games.
Also read: Shapovalov demolishes Lehecka in Belgrade to reach first final since 2022
However, while serving at 4-4, 30-0, Medjedovic opened the door for the Canadian by committing a few fatal errors to concede the break and allow Shapovalov to serve for the set.
It was then that the Canadian started to falter for the first time in the match and found himself at 15-40. He got out of trouble with powerful serves to close the set.
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Medjedovic started the second act in nightmarish fashion, making multiple errors before a double fault gave the Canadian a break.
As Shapovalov had not been broken since the first game of his first main draw match, this early break in the second set seemed an insurmountable chasm for his rival. And it did, as Shapovalov was never threatened for the remainder of the round.
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The closest Medjedovic came to resuming the break was in the eighth game, when he had a 15-30 lead on the Canadian’s serve, but Shapovalov managed to win the next three points to hold on. He did not lose more than two points in a service game during the set and when it came time to serve, unlike the first set where he had to fight, Shapovalov slammed the door by winning his zero service.
Shapovalov is not the only Canadian to have triumphed on Saturday. Indeed, Gabriela Dabrowski was crowned doubles champion at the WTA Finals.
Shapovalov now hopes to continue his momentum in Malaga, Spain, and help Canada capture its second Davis Cup trophy.
