All three Canadian males competing on the 2025 Australian Open are by to the second spherical, with Denis Shapovalov scoring a victory on Tuesday over Roberto Bautista Agut in 4 units to hitch Félix Auger-Aliassime and Gabriel Diallo in spherical two.
Rebecca Marino had an opportunity to present Canada an ideal 5-0 document within the first spherical of the 12 months’s first main, however her upset bid in opposition to No. 22 seed Katie Boulter got here up simply brief in a three-set thriller.
Shapovalov struggled to seek out rhythm at occasions in his opening match at Melbourne Park, significantly early in units. However he saved his finest for late as he scored a few breaks on the enterprise ends of the second and third and held his nerve within the fourth-set tiebreak to advance with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 7-6(8) win.
The serve was fairly erratic for Shapovalov, as he put simply 48 per cent of first serves in play, successful 87 per cent of factors when he landed them however solely 38 per cent when he missed. He had 24 aces however 15 double faults. His baseline sport was comparable as he ripped 71 winners, nearly triple Bautista Agut, however had 72 unforced errors, greater than double his opponent.
It took a while for Shapovalov to seek out his rhythm on serve. An error-filled second service sport handed a fast break to the Spaniard, though the Canadian was capable of claw it again and degree the set at 3-3. Nonetheless, proper after drawing even, he performed a poor sport, together with a pair of double faults, to instantly reward the benefit again to Bautista Agut.
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He was unable to get better from one other break deficit. Serving to remain within the set at 3-5, Shapovalov double-faulted down set level to drop the opener.
Bautista Agut pressed his benefit in the beginning of the second, making the most of extra errors from the Canadian to interrupt to like on his option to a 3-0 lead. Identical to the primary set, Shapovalov was capable of get better the early break, ripping a forehand winner on break level as he ultimately levelled once more at 3-3.
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This time, Shapovalov was ready to make use of his comeback to construct momentum. At 4-4, it was Bautista Agut’s flip to throw in some errors as he went down love-40. He managed to claw again to deuce however a backhand winner from Shapovalov gave the Canadian a fourth break level and the Spaniard missed a forehand to give up the break. Shapovalov served out the set to like, ending with three straight aces.
Shapovalov as soon as once more confronted some early jitters on serve within the third set however this time managed to keep away from being damaged. Identical to the second set, the ninth sport was the decisive one and as soon as once more, it was the Canadian scoring a late break. Bautista Agut cracked after letting a 40-15 lead slip away, double-faulting down break level.
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After the fixed back-and-forth by three units, the fourth set was comparatively undramatic. Each males saved a break level of their opening service sport and proceeded to not face one other for the rest of the set.
Contemplating the servers had largely cruised, the returners dominated the tiebreak early. The primary seven factors of the breaker went to the returner earlier than Shapovalov netted a backhand on the Spaniard’s serve to go down 5-3. Bautista Agut had three units factors up 6-3 however the Canadian had no real interest in a fifth set. He saved the primary with an ace, drew a backhand lengthy on the second, after which the Spaniard double-faulted to degree the breaker at 6-6.
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Shapovalov double-faulted himself on his first match level at 7-6 after which needed to save one other set level, coaxing a backhand into the online from Bautista Agut. After successful an extended rally to convey up a second match level at 9-8, the Canadian rifled a forehand winner to flee in 4 units.
He’ll meet No. 16 seed Lorenzo Musetti within the second spherical. The Italian received their lone earlier assembly final 12 months in Indian Wells.
Marino Narrowly Misses Upset
Of all of the Canadians on the 2025 Australian Open, Rebecca Marino had the hardest first-round job within the type of Twenty second-seeded Brit Katie Boulter. The Canadian veteran put up an outstanding struggle, giving Boulter all the pieces she might deal with for 3 robust units. However in the long run, the Brit held her nerve late within the decider to attain a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win.
Marino statistically was the higher participant within the match. She had extra winners, 28 to 26, fewer unforced errors, 35 to 38, and received another level total. Failure to transform break factors was what finally value the Canadian as she solely managed two of seven whereas being damaged thrice on simply 5 break factors on her personal serve.
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Boulter took a while to get going within the match, hitting back-to-back double faults at deuce in her opening service sport at hand an early 2-0 benefit to the Canadian. Nonetheless, that rapidly woke the Brit up as she broke proper again within the following sport.
At 3-3, Marino performed a poor sport, opening with a double-fault and following up with back-to-back unforced errors to go down love-40. Boulter compelled a forehand miss to seal the break. When the Brit served for the set at 5-4, Marino pushed onerous to degree, saving the primary two set factors and holding a break level to get again on serve, however Boulter was to not be denied as she held on to take the opener.
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Marino as soon as once more broke in her opponent’s opening service sport of the second set however this time didn’t let Boulter proper again in it, consolidating to like for a fast 3-0 lead. The Canadian was upping the depth within the second set and the Brit appeared to be struggling to maintain up with Marino’s enormous hitting.
As soon as she had the lead, the Vancourite didn’t let up. She continued to wail away within the rallies and with the best way she was hitting the ball, the early break was sufficient for Marino to pressure a deciding set.
The Canadian continued to use stress early within the third, holding a break level in an 11-minute opening sport on the Brit’s serve. Nonetheless, not like the earlier two units, she was unable to safe the early break. At 2-2, Marino had one other shot when she led 15-40 on Boulter’s serve however the Twenty second seed conjured an ace and a volley winner to flee the jam.
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Marino had an opportunity to attain a late break at 5-5 when she led love-30 on the Brit’s serve, however Boulter reeled off 4 straight factors to maneuver inside a sport of victory. Serving to remain in it, after a near-perfect set of serving the place she had misplaced simply three factors by 5 video games, Marino cracked on the worst potential second. A missed backhand put her down 30-40, match level, however she saved it with a giant serve. A forehand winner from Boulter gave the Brit a second likelihood and this time the Canadian netted a forehand to finish her upset bid.
Leylah Annie Fernandez is the lone Canadian girl left within the singles draw. General, the Canadians went 4-1 within the first spherical of singles in Melbourne. Fernandez additionally received her first-round doubles match on Tuesday with Nadiia Kichenok in straight units.
Tickets for the Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Spherical tie between Canada and Hungary at the moment are on sale. Be part of us February 1 and a pair of at IGA Stadium in Montreal, because the Canadian group begins their quest for the 2025 Davis Cup Ultimate 8. To entry tickets at early-bird pricing, click on right here.
