Canada’s Denis Shapovalov is heading to the third round of the Australian Open for the third time in the past four years after notching a come-from-behind victory on Wednesday.
Shapovalov survives in five
@denis_shapo prevails in an epic 7-6(6) 6-7(3) 6-7(6) 7-5 6-2 battle with Soonwoo Kwon after four hours and 25 minutes!#AusOpen #AO2022
: @wwos • @espn @eurosport @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/OvOtSIOMdh— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2022
The No. 14 seed, from Richmond Hill, Ont., rallied for a 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-2 win over world No. 54 Kwon Soon-woo of South Korea.
The match lasted four hours 25 minutes.
After failing to convert on two set points in the third set, Shapovalov broke his opponent in the final game of the fourth set and did so again to take a 2-0 lead in the decider.
Shapovalov had 29 aces, 26 more than Kwon. The Canadian had 81 winners, but also made 77 unforced errors.
Shapovalov will face No. 23 seed Reilly Opelka of the United States in the third round. Shapovalov never has advanced past the third round at the first Grand Slam of the season.
No. 9 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal plays his second-round match on Thursday against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain.
No Canadian women are left in the singles draw after Leylah Fernandez and Rebecca Marino lost in the second round on Tuesday.
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