Canada's Denis Shapovalov plays a forehand return to Bu Yunchaokete of China during their first round match at the Australian Open last month.Aaron Favila/The Associated Press
Canada’s Denis Shapovalov lost his opening-round match of the Dubai Tennis Championships 6-2, 6-4 to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta on Tuesday.
Shapovalov had eight aces to four double faults in the one-hour, 17-minute match.
The world No. 36 from Richmond Hill, Ont., also broke on just two of his nine opportunities.
After being outclassed in the opening set, Shapovalov got off to a 2-0 lead in the second. However, he gave up five consecutive games to the Spaniard before making it a 5-4 set.
Up 40-15, Shapovalov failed to tie the set and Busta pushed the game to a deuce. The Canadian then committed a forced error to give advantage to Busta, who then fired a winner on match point.
Busta went without an ace and had two double faults, but converted on five of his nine break-point chances.