TOKYO (AP) — In a dramatic turn of events at the Japan Open, Frances Tiafoe was left fuming as he faced an early exit against qualifier Marton Fucsovics on Wednesday, with Denis Shapovalov also experiencing a surprising defeat.
The eighth-seeded Tiafoe found himself battling with his first serve, ultimately succumbing to Fucsovics in a match that ended 3-6, 6-1, 7-5. The American’s frustration boiled over as he shattered his racket against the court just after Fucsovics claimed victory with a powerful forehand.
With this setback, Tiafoe has slipped to 29th in the world rankings, marking his fourth consecutive loss. This streak follows a third-round exit at the U.S. Open against Jan-Lennard Struff and defeats in both matches during the Davis Cup qualifying rounds against the Czech Republic earlier this month.
Looking ahead, Fucsovics is set to compete against either Jordan Thompson or Brandon Nakashima in the second round in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, seventh-seeded Shapovalov was also eliminated, falling to Daniel Altmaier with a score of 7-5, 6-3. Altmaier will face either Damir Dzumhur or Aleksandar Vukic in his next match.
