By Canadian Press

Canada’s Shapovalov out of Western & Southern Open after loss to Pouille

Aug 14, 2019 | 3:41 PM

CINCINNATI — Canada’s Denis Shapovalov is out of the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament after losing in straight sets to Lucas Pouille on Wednesday.

The Frenchman, ranked 31st in the world, set the tone by breaking Shapovalov in the first game and went on the defeat the young Canadian 6-4, 6-4 in a match that lasted an hour 19 minutes.

Pouille will face either Australia’s Nick Kyrgios or Rogers Cup semifinalist Karen Khachanov in the third rouund.

Shapovalov, the world No. 34 from Richmond Hill, Ont., was coming off a first-round win over lucky loser Joao Sousa that saw him struggle in the first set before dominating the next two.

But while Shapovalov started his second-round match the same way by serving for a loss in the opening game, there would be no spirited comeback against Pouille.

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While Pouille didn’t hit an ace and was accurate on just half of his first serves, he never faced break point while winning points on 80 per cent of his good first serves and 63 per cent of his second serves.

Shapovalov had 12 aces and was accurate on 61 per cent of his first serves, winning points on 74 of those. But he won points on just 48 per cent of his second serves.

Shapovalov fell to 2-7 over his last nine matches.

The Canadian Press