Denis Shapovalov of Canada returns the ball to Andy Murray of Great Britain during a match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Shapovalov downed Italy's Luciano Darderi in three sets on Wednesday to advance to the second round of the Miami Open. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili
MIAMI – Canada’s Denis Shapovalov downed Italy’s Luciano Darderiin three sets Wednesday to advance to the second round of the Miami Open.
Shapovalov, of Richmond Hill, Ont., fired 16 aces and won 77 per cent of first serves en route to a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4 winin the ATP 1000 tournament.
Shapovalov next meets fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia in the Round of 64.
Fellow Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime, of Montreal, will play his first match Thursday against Australia’s Adam Walton.
Auger-Aliassime, currently ranked No. 36 in the ATP rankings, enters the tournament unseeded.
Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and partner, Erin Routliffe of New Zealand, are seeded second in women’s doubles. They’ll also be in action Thursday against Hanyu Guo of China and Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2024.
