The Canadian opened his US Open title run with a solid performance over his Argentinian opponent.
Denis Shapovalov is into the second round of the US Open after beating the world number 47 Federico Delbonis in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 49 minutes on a Louis Armstrong Stadium packed with Canadian fans.
“I just think it’s tough overall to come out the first match and obviously it’s a place where I play well and every year you don’t know what form you are in and against Federico (Delbonis) it was super tough and I think the game was pretty close so I am very happy to capitalize and happy to be back here with all the fans and it’s amazing.”
The Toronto native hit 38 winners and served 14 aces in a match that he never relinquished control once and was able to cruise for the majority of the match.
The first set stayed on serve until 2-2 when the world number 10 got his first breakpoint of the match and his first break and managed to turn that into a double break and it was enough to take the first set.
The second set was much of the same with the Canadian dominating and broke in the first game and again was able to turn it into a double break winning the second set by the same score as the first.
The beginning of the third set was a mirror image of the second with the 22-year-old breaking in the first game of the set and it stayed on serve until 5-3 when the Canadian found himself at matchpoint on the Argentine serve and sealed the match with one more break of serve.
After the match in his on-court interview, he was asked to comment on the fact that this was his first official win as the world number 10.
“For sure I didn’t think about it that way and always preparing for the tournaments and I do think rankings over overrated because there are soo many tough players in the world and with the old generation playing so good and so many young guys coming up it’s super tough.”
Shapovalov will face Roberto Carballes Baena in the second round after the Spaniard defeated Tommy Paul in four sets.
