By Canadian Press

Canadian Denis Shapovalov knocks off Struff to earn semifinal spot in Japan

Oct 5, 2018 | 8:00 AM

TOKYO — Canada’s Denis Shapovalov is off to the semifinals at the Japan Open.

The 19-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., saved one match point in a second-set tiebreaker and beat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 in a quarterfinal on Friday.

“In the third set, I felt a little bit more momentum,” Shapovalov said. “I felt I was able to free up a bit more and I managed to get an early break and from there I just kind of ran with it.”

A shot at a third career all-Canadian matchup between Shapovalov and Milos Raonic was denied when the Thornhill, Ont., veteran lost 7-6 (4), 6-3 to Daniil Medvedev of Russia in another quarterfinal.

The 31st-ranked Shapovalov next squares off with Medvedev, who has won two titles this season and is up to No. 32 in the rankings. Shapovalov is 2-0 against Medvedev.

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The Canadian reached two semifinals earlier this season.

“It’s another opportunity for me to try to make my first final at an ATP event,” Shapovalov said. “But honestly, like I always do, I take it one match at a time. I’m very happy to escape today and I have another tough match tomorrow … I’m not too focused on the situation. I’m just going to try to focus on the things that I could do well in terms of how I play tomorrow and what I do, my strengths and stuff like this.”

Japan’s Kei Nishikori, the No. 3 seed, will face No. 8 seed Richard Gasquet of France in the other semifinal.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

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Canadian Denis Shapovalov knocks off Struff to earn semifinal spot in Japan

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