Denis Shapovalov continues the smooth transition from hard-court to clay after ending Spanish qualifier Pedro Martinez’s journey at the Italian Open in Rome this week.
The 12th seed bagged a 6-4, 6-4 win over Martinez for a ticket to the third round.
At the first meeting of the two players, they exchanged three break chances before the Canadian had the advantage to snatch the opening set.
Spaniard Martinez turned things around by snatching a 3-0 lead in the second set, but the Canadian did not let him stay too long after he had snatched the final six games of a match which lasted 1 hour 42 minutes.
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“Of course it’s very fierce,” exclaimed Shapovalov. “Especially after playing the Grand Slam and your body naturally wants to rest. Going into the match here is definitely a little difficult, but I’m really happy with the way I maintain my level of play and my physical condition.”
The 12th seed arrives in Rome after making her first career Grand Slam quarter-final at the US Open this season. He did not show that he is struggling to adapt to the slower conditions on clay after claiming two straight wins at the Italian Open this week.
Denis Shapovalov will next face French national Ugo Humbert for a place in the Italian Open quarter-finals.
The world number 42 is holding back his nerves in order to overthrow the seventh seed and home favorite Fabio Fognini 7-5 7-6 in 2 hours.
“I am very happy to win the match this time against Fabio, a great tennis player,” said Humbert. “I trained with him three days ago, so it’s easier for me when I start the match and try to do my best.”
There were six consecutive service breaks at the start of the first meeting of the two players. Even so the young French tennis player managed to keep pace with the more experienced Fognini. Fognini even made a mistake on his backhand when facing the opponent’s first set point opportunity. The error was one of 24 unforced errors he committed during the first set that lasted 56 minutes.
Humbert had the chance to close out at 5-3 in the second set only to see Fognini bounce back and then go up 4/3 in the tiebreaker but Humbert won the final four points and Fognini’s backhand return that was too wide was the game’s final return.
