Denis
Shapovalov won his second professional title after defeating rising Serbian
star
Hamad Medjedovic in the
Belgrade Open final. The Canadian had to fight
through the qualifiers to reach the main draw, winning seven consecutive
matches and reaching World No. 56, his best ranking in two years.
It took
more than five years for the former World No. 10 to secure his second title.
His first title came at the 2019 Stockholm Open, where he defeated another
Serbian player, Filip Krajinovic (6-4, 6-4). However, he then endured a streak
of five consecutive final losses, including the 2019 Paris Masters final
against Djokovic.
Reaching
the final this week was already a significant achievement for Shapovalov, whose
last final appearance was at the 2022 Vienna Open (where he lost to Medvedev).
The past seasons have been challenging for the 25-year-old, who only recently
re-entered the top 100.
'Shapo'
ends the season on a high note with a title, which could be a positive sign for
the upcoming 2025 season. Perhaps Shapovalov can rediscover the form that once
dazzled the Tour and regain a top spot in the ATP rankings.
This week,
he defeated notable opponents such as Nuno Borges (5th seed) and
Jiri Lehecka
(4th seed) without major issues. He still has one final challenge before
concluding the season, as he will join Team Canada in the Davis Cup and will
need to lead his country following Felix Auger-Aliassime’s confirmed absence
from the squad in Malaga.