Denis Shapovalov on track for third 30-win season with Stockholm success

Denis Shapovalov won his second match in the Swedish capital to reach the quarter-finals and keep his push for 30 wins in 2021 on course.

The Canadian has had a mixed set of results this season. Since securing his best Slam result by reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon, Shapovalov registered an underwhelming 5-8 win-loss record heading into the Stockholm Open.

The 22-year-old improved that to 6-8 by defeating Italian Andrea Vavassori 7-6 (7-1), 6-1 in the second round.

It was the Canadian’s first match at this year’s event after receiving a first round bye as the tournament’s third seed.

Moreover, Shapovalov is the defending champion from 2019, his one an only ATP tour title to date.

Should he reach the final again this year, that would take his win-loss record in 2021 to 30-22.

He has achieved 30-win seasons on the ATP tour twice before, in 2019 and 2018. His records were 38-28 and 35-28 respectively those years.

Shapovalov will face Arthur Rinderknech next for a place in the last four. The Frenchman defeated Slovakian qualifier Jozef Kovalik 6-4, 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals and take on Shapovalov.

Should Shapovalov defeat Rinderknech, he might then set an all-Canadian semi-final with Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Auger-Aliassime is the tournament second seed, and has played Shapovalov five times.

In fact, Auger-Aliassime leads their head-to-head 3-2, including winning both their two most recent meetings, each in 2021.

However, he must first defeat Filip Krajinovic and the winner of Marton Fucsovics against Botic van de Zandschukp to reach the semi-finals in Stockholm and set that meeting with Shapovalov.

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