Denis Shapovalov made fun of his head-to-head record against Novak Djokovic after beating Jiri Lehecka to reach the final of the Serbia Open.
Denis Shapovalov and Novak Djokovic (via SporKlub/Daily Express)
Denis Shapovalov has not been at his best this season and fell below the Top 130 in July. However, since the Indoor tournaments, he has begun to play his best tennis. He defeated Jiri Lehecka in a straight set at the Serbia Open to reach the finals. After the match, the Canadian star made fun of his record with Serbia’s legend Novak Djokovic.
Shapovalov arrived in Belgrade after reaching the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors Open, where he lost to eventual champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. He navigated the tournament through the qualifiers, beating Constant Lestienne and Hugo Grenier, both in straight sets, to secure a place in the main draw of the event.
Despite not being among the favorites, Shapovalov overcame a tough first-round test from Marton Fucsovics, which he won 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-1. He then defeated Nuno Borges and Christopher O’Connell in a straight set to reach the semifinals. Against Lehecka, the 25-year-old produced another excellent display to win 5-2, 6-1.
The victory earned him his final since the 2022 Vienna Open. During his on-court interview, Shapovalov was asked why the Serbian crowd was not on his side. He revealed that it was because he had never defeated Djokovic.
The Canadian star has met Novak Djokovic eight times in his career and failed to register a single victory. He will face Hamad Medjedovic in the Serbia Open final on Saturday (November 9).
Denis Shapovalov won his maiden career title at the 2019 Stockholm Open but has failed to win another tour-level title since then. He has reached five finals, including the 2019 Paris Masters, losing all. He is looking forward to bouncing back next year, getting back to winning titles and reaching the Top 10 of the ATP rankings.
He recently revealed that he is adding a former World No. 8, Janko Tipsarevic, to his coaching team ahead of next season. He shared that he will begin a preseason with Tipsarevic in Dubai, as he looks forward to the partnership.
Tipsarevic is currently a politician in Serbia and a member of the populist Serbian Progressive Party. However, he has not forsaken his love for tennis and also runs a tennis academy in Belgrade.
