Canada’s Shapovalov posts upset win on Day 1 of Wimbledon
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Canada’s Denis Shapovalov won his opening match at Wimbledon on Monday in a three-set upset of No. 19 seed Nicolas Jarry.
The unseeded 25-year-old, once ranked as high as 10th in the world, defeated the 28-year-old Chilean 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.
Meanwhile, Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz won easily over qualifier Mark Lajal, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-2.
Lajal proved to be something of a speedbump for Alcaraz, who acknowledged that his 269th-ranked Estonian opponent “surprised me a little bit” on Day 1 at the All England Club.
Alcaraz, who won his third major championship at the French Open three weeks ago, defeated Novak Djokovic in last year’s final on the grass at Wimbledon but said he was still nervous before Monday’s match.
WATCH: Shapovalov cruises to upset win in 1st round:
Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont. rode a hot serve to a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 Wimbledon victory over 19 seed Nicolas Jarry.
Earlier, Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka both pulled out of the tournament because of respective shoulder injuries.
Ninth-seeded Maria Sakkari was among the early winners on Monday, and said after beating McCartney Kessler 6-3, 6-1 that the women’s draw is wide open.
“We could name like 20, 25 girls that could win the tournament right now,” Sakkari said.
Seventh-seeded Jasmine Paolini, the French Open runner-up last month, got past the first round at Wimbledon for the first time on her fourth try. The Italian beat Sara Sorribes Tormo 7-5, 6-3.
On the men’s side, fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev beat Aleksander Kovacevic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, and eighth-seeded Casper Ruud defeated Alex Bolt 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4.
