Denis Shapovalov pulled off a massive upset at the Dallas Open, taking down World No.4 Taylor Fritz in a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(2) victory to book his spot in the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 event. The Canadian left-hander, who has been searching for consistency on tour, delivered a clutch performance in the deciding set tiebreak, securing his second Top-10 win in over two years—ironically, both coming against Fritz.
Shapovalov Battles Back After Fast Start from Fritz
Fritz, playing in front of his home crowd, looked dominant early, racing to a 3-0 lead within the first ten minutes. The US Open finalist capitalized on Shapovalov’s early unforced errors, breaking him twice and sealing the opening set 6-2 in just 31 minutes.
However, Shapovalov flipped the script in the second set.
- The Canadian earned a crucial break in the second game with a blistering forehand down-the-line winner.
- He saved two break points in the next game, showing newfound resilience.
- Serving at 5-3, he closed the set in style, leveling the match after one hour and nine minutes.
A Thrilling Final Set Ends in Tiebreak Drama
With momentum swinging back and forth, the final set saw both players holding serve with confidence.
- Fritz had a golden chance at 30-0 on Shapovalov’s serve in the tenth game, but the Canadian reeled off four straight points to escape.
- The set was ultimately decided in a tiebreak, where Shapovalov came out firing.
The lefty opened with a stunning drop shot winner, followed by a forehand crosscourt bullet to take a commanding 3-0 lead. Fritz, rattled, fell behind 4-0 and missed a routine backhand at 1-5, setting up five match points for his opponent.
On the second match point, Fritz mishit a forehand, sealing Shapovalov’s biggest win in over a year.
Key Stats: How Shapovalov Pulled Off the Upset
✅ 40 service winners – A weapon that neutralized Fritz’s baseline dominance.
✅ 7/9 break points saved – Proving he could handle the pressure moments.
✅ Tiebreak brilliance – Kept his cool while Fritz faltered late.
Despite hitting over 40 unforced errors, Shapovalov’s aggressive style paid off, and his ability to serve big in the clutch moments proved to be the difference.
What’s Next for Shapovalov?
With this major win, Shapovalov advances to the quarterfinals, where he’ll face sixth seed Tomas Machac. If he can maintain this level of play, the Canadian could be a serious contender for the Dallas title.
As for Fritz, this loss raises questions about his ability to close out tight matches. The American remains one of the best hard-court players on tour, but he’ll need to sharpen his late-match execution if he hopes to maintain his top-five ranking.
One thing’s for sure—Denis Shapovalov just sent a strong message that he’s ready to climb back toward the ATP’s elite.
