Dubai Tennis: Shapovalov ends Chardy's good run

Dubai - Shapovalov, the world No.12, beat the Frenchman 7-5, 6-4 in an hour and 24 minutes

Third seed Denis Shapovalov of Canada put an end to Jeremy Chardy’s good run to progress to the semifinals of the ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Thursday.

Shapovalov, the world No.12, beat the Frenchman 7-5, 6-4 in an hour and 24 minutes on Centre Court at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre, in the quarterfinals.

The Canadian, runner-up to Serbian world No.1 Novak Djokovic at the ATP 1000 Paris Masters in 2019, earned the break in the 11th game to clinch the first set in 45 minutes. He then raised the bar in the second set, achieving the crucial break in the ninth game to serve out the set in 39 minutes, and wrap up the match.

It continued Shapovalov’s dominance over world No.53 Chardy with this being his third victory in three meetings. His previous wins had come at Wimbledon and the ATP 1000 Canada Masters, both in 2018.

Shapovalov, who made the last eight of the US Open last year, will take on either Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori or qualifier Lloyd Harris, in the last four.

Meanwhile, it was a sad end for Chardy, the Wimbledon boys singles champion in 2005, after the 2013 Australian Open quarterfinalist, had beaten ninth seeded Australian Alex de Minaur and eighth seed Karen Khachanov of Kazakhstan to reach his fourth quarterfinal of the year.