Denis Shapovalov delivered a masterclass in resilience at the Los Cabos Open on Friday, dispatching British number two Cameron Norrie 6-3 5-7 6-4 in a compelling semi-final lasting two hours and 39 minutes to set up a title defence opportunity in the final.
Norrie had been riding a wave of renewed confidence after snapping a six-match losing streak to reach the last four, but the Canadian left-hander proved too sharp on the day. The match turned ugly early for Norrie, who was broken in the very first service game and could never quite find the foothold he needed in the opener.
The second set offered hope for the Briton. After a shaky start that included a couple of wayward forehands, Norrie recovered brilliantly, eventually serving up two set points at 6-5 before converting the second with a forehand volley that clipped the line. It was one of the best moments of his tournament.
However, the third set mirrored the first in the worst possible way for Norrie. Another early break in the opening game proved decisive, and Shapovalov held firm on serve throughout to close out the victory without further drama.
For Norrie, the result stings a little more given his history with the tournament. He lifted the Los Cabos title back in 2021 and had been hoping to recapture that form on Mexican hard courts.
Shapovalov now faces France's Arthur Gea in Sunday's final, after Gea edged past Coleman Wong of Hong Kong 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 in the other semi-final. It promises to be an exciting conclusion to the week.
TennisDraw users will be watching closely to see if their bracket picks for the Los Cabos final hold up when Shapovalov and Gea take the court.
