Nestled at the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, this tropical paradise is famed for its stunning beaches, luxurious resorts, and unparalleled sport fishing.
On Saturday, Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ontario, cast his own line for victory, triumphing in the men’s singles final of the Mifel Tennis Open in just 71 minutes.
Shapovalov secured his title by defeating seventh-seed American Aleksandar Kovacevic with scores of 6-4, 6-2 at the Cabo Sports Complex. Remarkably, he wrapped up the first set in just 35 minutes.
In the final, Shapovalov led in multiple statistical categories: he served six aces, dominated receiving with 20 points, rattled off three consecutive games, and won nine service games. His unforced errors were slightly lower than Kovacevic’s, finishing at 23 to 22.
Kovacevic managed to hit two aces and recorded two double faults while claiming six service games.
Having previously captured the Dallas Open in February, the 26-year-old Shapovalov now boasts four ATP titles. He advanced to the final with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over Australian Adam Walton in the semifinals.
This victory marked Shapovalov’s first foray into the summer hard-court season, a refreshing change after a challenging grass-court campaign that ended with an early exit at Wimbledon. All his previous ATP Tour titles had come on indoor hard courts.
In the other semifinal, Kovacevic pulled off a stunning victory over top-seeded Andrey Rublev from Russia, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Looking ahead, Shapovalov is set to be a standout Canadian competitor at the 2025 National Bank Open in Toronto, kicking off on Saturday, July 26.
–With contributions from Sportsnet Staff
