Canadian Denis Shapovalov moved into the last eight of the ATP Dallas Open by edging out American Taylor Fritz, the top seed, 2-6 6-3 7-6(2) at the Ford Center at The Star on Thursday night. The thrilling encounter saw the Canadian tennis star claim his biggest victory in terms of ranking since 2022. He now advances to face No. 6 seed Tomas Machac in the quarterfinals.

Shapovalov, currently ranked No. 54 globally, displayed resilience and determination against the fourth-ranked American tennis star. After a slow start, the Canadian found his rhythm, adjusting his strategy to counter Fritz’s powerful serves and aggressive baseline play.

Match Recap: A Hard-Fought Comeback

Fritz took control early, claiming the first set in 32 minutes with a dominant 6-2 scoreline. Shapovalov struggled to find consistency, making errors that allowed his higher-ranked opponent to dictate play. However, the second set saw a dramatic shift. The 25-year-old broke the 27-year-old serve early, racing to a 2-0 lead and holding firm to take the set 6-3, leveling the match.

The third set was a tense battle of serves, with neither player facing a single break point. The match ultimately headed to a decisive tiebreak, where Shapovalov’s aggressive shot-making and fearless play saw him establish a commanding 4-0 lead. A well-executed drop shot, a powerful ace, and a forehand winner put him in control. He eventually closed the contest on his second match point after two hours and two minutes of high-quality tennis.

Shapovalov ended the match with 37 winners and 43 unforced errors, showing clear improvement after the first set. Fritz had a solid performance with 25 winners and 24 unforced errors and could not counter the Canadian’s inspired late-match surge.

This victory marks Shapovalov’s first win over a Top 10 player since he defeated Fritz, then ranked No. 10, in Vienna in late 2022. It is also his first triumph over a Top 5 opponent since beating Rafael Nadal in Rome earlier that year. Remarkably, three of his four career wins over Top 5 players have come after dropping the first set, a testament to his fighting spirit.

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Head-to-Head And Tournament Progress

Heading into the match, Fritz had been on a 20-match winning streak against players ranked outside the Top 50. However, Shapovalov, a former world No. 10, proved to be a different challenge. With this win, he improves to 6-4 in his career meetings with the American, reinforcing his ability to compete against top-ranked opponents.

This quarterfinal appearance extends Shapovalov’s strong form in indoor events. He previously reached the quarterfinals in Basel and captured a title in Belgrade late last season. Now, he looks to continue his momentum against Tomas Machac, who defeated Rinky Hijikata 6-4 7-6 (0) earlier in the day.

Next Challenge: Tomas Machac

Machac, currently ranked No. 25, has steadily risen and will present a fresh challenge for Shapovalov. This will be their first career meeting, and both players will be eager to secure a semifinal berth. With Canadian confidence soaring and Machac’s steady performances, the upcoming match promises to be another closely contested battle.

Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports