Denis Shapovalov's frustration grew throughout his second round match against Benoit Paire. He slashed his racket through the air as he fell behind in the fourth set tiebreak, portending that his abrupt Wimbledon exit was only moments away.
Shapovalov never found an answer for Paire's powerful, commanding service game on Thursday. Shapovalov conceded two of the next three points in the tiebreak, and Paire eliminated the Canadian in a four sets, 0-6 6-2 6-4 7-6(3).
Denis Shapovalov’s #Wimbledon comes to an end at the hands of Benoit Paire, who wins 0-6, 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(3) to reach the second round.
— Tennis Canada (@TennisCanada) July 5, 2018
Onward and upward, Denis! #DontStopFighting pic.twitter.com/TRTxXuBPp2
Shapovalov looked well on his way to another victory at the All England Club in the early stages of his second round match. The 19-year-old Canadian held Paire on zero, and Shapovalov quickly jumped out to a 1-0 lead in a set the 29-year-old Frenchman committed ten unforced errors and won 12 points. The entire set lasted under 30 minutes.
Paire adjusted as the match continued late into the afternoon, though. He held his serve each of the five times he went back in the second set. Paire was similarly strong in his service game in the third set, while Shapovalov helped him in taking his first lead of the match: Shapovalov committed seven unforced errors in the second set, and eight in the third, while the former Wimbledon junior winner hit two aces in set two compared to five double-faults.
It left Shapovalov to attempt to force the third, five-set match of his young career.
Shapovalov played himself into that opportunity, creating a break and set point leading 5-4. But Paire rallied back, and in a game that lasted close to seven minutes, took advantage of two forced and one unforced error by Shapovalov with play deadlocked at deuce, before finally putting Shapovalov away for a 5-5 tie. From there, they played into the tiebreak, where Paire would eventually eliminate Shapovalov.
For the third straight Grand Slam, Shapovalov failed to get past the second round, also bowing out of the Australian and French Opens after collecting one victory. While competition at Wimbledon will continue, Shapovalov will have the Rogers Cup in Toronto to look forward to, with play beginning in early August. It was at that tournament a year ago when Shapovalov's meteoric rise began following a victory against then World No. 2 Rafael Nadal.