Denis Shapovalov is thriving in the world of hard-court tennis.
The Canadian star, seeded third, secured his spot in the final of the Mifel Tennis Open with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over eighth seed Adam Walton from Australia on Friday in the picturesque Los Cabos, Mexico.
This marks Shapovalov’s first venture into the summer hard-court season after a challenging grass-court campaign, which ended with a first-round exit at Wimbledon.
“This definitely boosts my confidence and strengthens my belief,” Shapovalov shared with reporters post-match. “I entered the tournament aiming not to fixate on the results, but rather to reestablish my offensive game and go for it.”
Hailing from Richmond Hill, Ontario, Shapovalov is on the hunt for his second title of 2025, following his win at the indoor hard-court Dallas Open back in February. Notably, all three of his ATP Tour titles have come from indoor hard-court events.
In Friday’s match, Shapovalov displayed impressive form, saving all four break points he encountered and successfully converting all four of his own break-point opportunities.
At 26 years old, Shapovalov will take on the winner of the semifinal clash between top seed Andrey Rublev of Russia and seventh seed Aleksandar Kovacevic from the U.S. in Saturday’s final.
Following this tournament, he is expected to climb back into the top 30, having started as the world No. 33.
This victory serves as a solid momentum shift for Shapovalov as he prepares for his upcoming hometown event, the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers, kicking off next weekend in Toronto.
— with contributions from The Canadian Press.
