Denis Shapovalov put up a fight, but he ultimately could not beat the best in the world.
The Richmond Hill, Ont., native fell to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner 7-5, 4-6, 3-6, 3-6 in the third round of the US Open on Saturday.
Shapovalov came out of the gate strong, capitalizing on a less-than-perfect performance by Sinner to capture the first set. He faltered in the second set but bounced back in the third, powering to a 3-0 lead.
Then, the momentum swung sharply in Sinner’s direction.
The Italian took over the game, winning nine straight games to take the third set and a three-game lead in the deciding fourth.
“Denis started off very well,” Sinner said after the game, “and I just tried to stay there mentally.”
The 26-year-old Canadian struggled at times with his service game, committing nine double faults to Sinner’s five.
Later Saturday, Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime will face a similarly tough opponent at Louis Armstrong Stadium, meeting world No. 3 Alexander Zverev.
— With files from Associated Press
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