Denis Shapovalov plays a forehand return to Bu Yunchaokete during their first-round match at the Australian Open on Monday.Aaron Favila/The Associated Press
Denis Shapovalov is moving on to the Australian Open second round after beating wild card Bu Yunchaokete of China 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-1 in his opening match at the grand slam tennis tournament Monday.
Shapovalov, the 21st seed, hit 19 aces and converted 3-of-8 break point chances without being broken to win the match in two hours 15 minutes.
The 26-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., also struck 47 winners to just 11 for Bu. He’ll play Croatia’s Marin Cilic in the next round.
Shapovalov is the only Canadian remaining in men’s singles after seventh seed Félix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal retired from his first-round match against Portugal’s Nuno Borges. Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo and Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ont., lost in their opening-round matches.
Canadians Diallo, Draxl bounced in opening round at Australian Open
Earlier Monday, Canadian breakout star Victoria Mboko needed only 72 minutes to defeat Emerson Jones of Australia 6-4, 6-1 in the women’s singles first round.
Mboko, 19, won 77 per cent of her first serve points and 59 per cent of her points on second serve. She will play American Caty McNally in the second round.