Denis Shapovalov, of Canada, returns a volley to Frances Tiafoe during quarterfinals of the Miami Open tennis tournament, Thursday, March 28, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)
Republished April 15, 2019 - 6:52 AM
Original Publication Date April 15, 2019 - 6:16 AM
MONTE CARLO - Canada's Denis Shapovalov has made an early exit at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
The No. 15 seed from Richmond Hill, Ont., lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 to unseeded German Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round of the ATP Tour Masters 1000 clay-court event on Monday.
Struff, ranked 44th in the world, now has wins over the top two Canadians this year — Milos Raonic and Shapovalov.
Struff, 28, won 72 per cent of his points on first serve, 10 per cent better than Shapovalov.
Shapovalov, who turned 20 on Monday, was coming off a run to the semifinals at the Miami Open, the last ATP Masters 1000 event.
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime, a wild card, is expected to be play his first-round match against Argentine qualifier Juan Ignacio Londero on Tuesday.
Like Shapovalov, the 18-year-old Auger-Aliassime made it to the semis in Miami.
Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime also are scheduled to play doubles together in Monte Carlo.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2019