Canada’s Denis Shapovalov will be moving on to the third round of the U.S. Open after a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Roberto Carballes Baena on Thursday.
Shapovalov fired 11 aces, won 86 per cent of first-serve points and broke the Spaniard on five of 13 opportunities.
After splitting the first two sets, the Richmond Hill, Ont., native powered his way through the third set by winning four of the final five games after being tied at 2-2, capped by a backhand forced error from Carballes Baena.
Down 2-1 in the final set, the 23-year-old Shapovalov turned the tables once more by winning the final five games and earning match point with his final ace.
The 19th-seeded Shapovalov will next face ninth seed Andrey Rublev on Saturday.
In women’s doubles action, fellow Canadian Leylah Fernandez and partner Daria Saville of Australia advanced to the second round with a 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) win over second-seeded Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff.
Fernandez and Saville broke on three of six opportunities, while the Americans struggled winning just three of 19 break point chances and committing 39 unforced errors in the loss.
Saville, alongside Fernandez who was ousted from singles competition on Wednesday, will take on Dalma Galfi and Bernarda Pera in the second round.
