Denis Shapovalov claimed a spot in the quarter-finals of the Korea Open by seeing off the challenge of Spain’s Jaume Munar on Wednesday.
The 2021 Wimbledon semi-finalist needed 109 minutes to claim a 7-5 6-4 win over Munar, assuming control by breaking in the seventh game of the opener before doing likewise early in the second set.
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Canadian Shapovalov – who is seeded fourth for the event – had not featured since a dramatic loss to Andrey Rublev at the US Open earlier this month, but produced a consistent display in Seoul, not committing a single double fault during the match.
His reward for the victory is a last-eight tie with Radu Albot, who held his nerve in two tie-breaks to record a 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-3) win over Steve Johnson.
In Wednesday’s other match, Japan’s Taro Daniel beat Ecuador’s Emilio Gomez in straight sets in the duo’s round-of-32 tie.
Top seed Casper Ruud begins his campaign against Nicolas Jarry on Thursday.
