All possibilities still open as Shapo gets maiden UTS win, beating Thiem
All four players in Group A are able to qualify for the Final Four
Denis Shapovalov at UTS Frankfurt (UTS)
Denis “Shapo” Shapovalov got his first win in UTS action as he defeated Dominic “The Dominator” Thiem 19-9, 11-14, 14-10, 16-11.
Neither player had won a match in UTS format despite both having played three previously.
“I’m very happy to get the win,” Shapo said afterwards. “To play Dominic one last time, it’s pretty emotional for me. He’s one of the first pro players that I met…he’s a little bit like an older brother to me, it’s a pleasure to play him one last time.”
And the Canadian admitted: “I’d rather win against anybody else for my first UTS match!”
Shapo: We call Kokkinakis ‘Roger’
It means that all four players in Group A are still able to qualify for the Final Four – with Shapo’s match against Thanasi Kokkinakis crucial.
“I am not playing against Kokkinakis – I am playing against Roger!” Shapovalov joked. “I am just kidding. We call him Roger because he just plays so great here. We are good friends. I have no chance against him. He is Roger, coming in cold from Australia. He is jetlagged and doesnt know where he is but plays unbelievable.”
Thiem: I made errors in important moments
Thiem reflected afterwards: “I made some service errors in the important moments. I was up two points in the third quarter and did not serve well. Yesterday and today my serve was not that constant, so I maybe won’t use the bonus card on serve any more.”
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