Live Blog: Denis Shapovalov vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the U.S. Open

Adam Zagoria

Live Blog: Denis Shapovalov vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the U.S. Open image

Denis Shapovalov's dream run at the U.S. Open continues.

The 18-year-old left-hander stunned No. 8 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(3) before a night crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium Wednesday night to advance to the third round on Friday agaisnt Britain's Kyle Edmund.

Shapovalov won the match after Tsonga floated a backhand return long in the tiebreak and Tsonga then lost the challenge.

Shapovalov won his first ever main-draw U.S. Open match on Monday by taking out Russian Daniil Medvedev, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2, before a packed crowd on Court 7. Tsonga beat Marius Copil of Romania, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

Listed below is a blog on how the match unfolded.

MORE: SIGN UP to watch WTA and ATP tour events on DAZN  | Shapovalov wants to 'lift a Grand Slam'

7:40 p.m. - - Greetings from Arthur Ashe Stadium where Venus Williams has just taken the court in the night's first match. Expect Shapovalov to take the court around 9:15-9:30 ET.

9:23 p.m. -- Lot of folks in Ashe drinking and enjoying the evening. The buzz is building as the two players come out on the court. This is Shapovalov's first-ever night match inside the biggest tennis stadium in the world. They have a lot of work to do to replicate what Federer and Tiafoe pulled off last night, where Federer fended off the 19-year-old American in five sets.

9:37 p.m. -- Shapovalov scores the early break to go up 1-0 on Tsonga. He's dressed in all black, like Johnny Cash.

9:41 p.m. -- Consolidates the break for a 2-0 lead and pumps the first. Great start for the young Canadian in front of the New York City night crowd.

9:49 p.m. -- Shapovalov holds for a 3-1 lead over a man 14 years his senior in Tsonga.

9:53 p.m. -- Tsonga holds for 2-3. Shapovalov up a break and just needs to hold serve to take the first set, which would give him a lot of confidence going forward.

10:00 p.m. - - A pair of holds and Shapovalov leads 4-3. He's bouncing up and down on the return and has a lot of energy.

10:06 p.m. -- Shapovalov will serve for the first set at 5-4. This "corporate, cocktail crowd," as ESPN's Chris Fowler calls them, seems to appreciate his game and energy. Palpable buzz in the crowd.

10:11 p.m. -- Shapovalov holds to take the first set 6-4 and pumps his fist. Huge confidence boost.

10:19 p.m. -- Tsonga wins an incredible point during first game of second set and holds for 1-0.

10:21 p.m. -- "Within a year, possibly two years, this guy's going to have THE biggest forehand in the world." -- ESPN's Brad Gilbert on Denis

10:25 p.m. -- On serve in the second set, Tsonga up 2-1.

10:31 p.m. -- Denis fends off his first break point of the night with a forehand winner and holds for 2-2 on a 129 mph service winner.

10:35 p.m. -- 3-2 Tsonga.

10:42 p.m. -- Tsonga double-faults on break point and Denis is up a set and a break now, 6-4, 4-3.

10:48 p.m. -- Denis about to serve at 5-4 for a two-sets-to-love lead. Kid is showing incredible poise on this big stage. A win here would mean he's beaten Tsonga, Nadal and del Potro in a few weeks. Amazing.

10:52 p.m. -- Denis serves it out and now leads two-sets-to-love, 6-4, 6-4. Needless to say, he's showing incredible poise. One set from the third round. Hit a huge overhead winner to take the set. This would mean wins over Tsonga, Rafa Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro in a few weeks.

11:01 p.m. - - Tsonga holds for 1-0 in the third .

11:05 p.m. -- Tsonga up 2-1 in the third.

11:13 p.m. - - Still on serve with the Frenchman up 3-2. The bottom half of the draw is pretty open now with No. 4 Alexander Zverev out. Winner here could make a run.

11:19 p.m. -- Shapovalov gets the break in the third and now leads 4-3. "You don't get the feel that Shapovalov is going to choke at closing time." -- Chris Fowler

11:25 p.m. -- Denis slaps a backhand crosscourt winner, looks to his box and now leads 5-3. Can finish it here with  a break of Tsonga.

11:27 p.m. -- Denis will now serve at 5-4 for a spot in the third round. He's been clinical in his attack of Tsonga's backhand tonight.

11:31 p.m. -- Tsonga breaks Denis for the first time tonight and instead of Denis closing it out on his serve, they're tied at 5-all in the third.

11:34 p.m. -- Tsonga holds for 6-5. Denis will have to hold to force a tiebreak in the third.

11:41 p.m. -- ....And we're headed to a tiebreak.

11:49 p.m. -- And that's it. 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov stuns No. 8 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets to advance to the 3rd round of the US Open, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(3).


Adam Zagoria