Riding a wave of confidence after eliminating several top contenders earlier in the tournament, Canada’s Denis Shapovalov showcased his remarkable talent when it counted the most on Sunday.
His stellar performance culminated in a thrilling 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory over Norway’s second seed, Casper Ruud, during the Dallas Open final.
This victory marks Shapovalov’s third career title and his inaugural win at the ATP 500 level, solidifying his status as a formidable competitor.
“I knew I had to push my limits against Casper,” Shapovalov reflected during a post-match meal over the phone. “He’s an incredibly tough opponent, so I focused on playing aggressively and going for my shots.”
With an impressive 13-5 advantage in aces and winning 72% of his first-serve points, Shapovalov managed to defend the only break point he faced, wrapping up the match in just one hour and 40 minutes.
Throughout the tournament, the Canadian triumphed over the top three seeds, starting with a dramatic defeat of world No. 4, Taylor Fritz, in the second round, followed by an upset against third-seeded Tommy Paul, ranked No. 9.
Facing Ruud, the fifth-ranked player, was yet another significant challenge. Shapovalov utilized his powerful groundstrokes and tactical short game to outmaneuver his opponent on the court.
He escalated his game during the pivotal tiebreaker, where a striking backhand down the line gave him a 3-1 mini-break advantage. Ruud managed to get back to serve at 5-6 but faltered, sending a forehand return into the net as Shapovalov celebrated his set win.
“I aimed to be aggressive with my serves while maintaining smart gameplay by working the points and really taking aim at my shots,” he explained. “I got a bit lucky with some well-placed shots and served exceptionally well in the tiebreaker.”
Shapovalov took charge of the second set, capturing the first three games and sealing his victory with an overhead smash on match point, officially claiming the biggest title of his career.
With this triumph, Shapovalov is set to climb 22 spots to No. 32 in the world rankings, marking his highest standing since September 2023.
He becomes the first player in six years to achieve victories against three top-10 players in a single ATP 250 or 500 tournament, a feat last accomplished by Nick Kyrgios in Acapulco in 2019.
“Being aggressive is key for me,” Shapovalov emphasized. “That’s where I perform at my best, and I’m thrilled to have maintained that level consistently this week.”
“It’s definitely tough to sustain high performance against such formidable opponents, so this title holds great significance for me.”
A former top-10 player, Shapovalov has faced injury challenges over the past few seasons, plummeting as low as No. 140 at one point. He had to withdraw from Canada’s recent Davis Cup qualifier against Hungary due to a back issue.
“I feel pretty worn out,” he admitted. “This week has been demanding, especially with the late matches, which definitely adds extra strain on the body.”
All of Shapovalov’s ATP Tour titles have come on indoor hard courts, with prior wins in Stockholm in 2019 and Belgrade last year.
This victory marked Shapovalov’s first win against Ruud in their three head-to-head encounters.
