SUMMARY
- The Italian Open encounter between Lorenzo Sonego and Denis Shapovalov turned out to be a heated affair.
- During the match, Shapovalov had to navigate more than just Lorenzo's skills, as the crowd kept booing him.
Canadian star Denis Shapovalov is an exciting player to watch when he is on song. However, like every athlete, Shapovalov too has been the subject of ridicule from opposition fans. He was on the receiving end of constant boos when he took on local boy Lorenzo Sonego at the Italian Open in 2022. The Canadian star eventually hit back at them.
The opening match between Shapovalov and Sonego tested the former’s limits. Both players went hard at each other, and it turned out to be a closely contested encounter. Things heated up during the second set, when he was down 3-4.
It came to a head when the second serve by the Italian was called out. The umpire, Richard Haigh, initially awarded the point to Denis when Sonego hit the return shot out. However, he took a closer look at where the ball landed and overruled his decision. Shapovalov then crossed the net over to Lorenzo’s side to point out the ball mark, and the umpire immediately handed him a code violation.
🗣️(🎥@eurosport) pic.twitter.com/xvWWxwXWHu
— doublefault28 (@doublefault28) May 9, 2022
Shapovalov was engaged in an argument with Haigh, as he had already given the Canadian a violation for another incident. In the meantime, the crowd kept booing Denis, and he finally lost his cool, yelling “Shut the f*ck up!” at them. Richard immediately handed him a game penalty.
Denis then asked the umpire to remove him from the stands. Richard refused to comply because he did not see what the heckler had done, but he noticed Shapovalov inciting him a bit.
Denis Shapovalov had to navigate more than just Lorenzo’s skills, as the crowd turned against him. However, the Canadian player finally prevailed in the end. The fiery contest between the two lasted three hours and eleven minutes, with Denis winning it 7-6(5) 3-6 6-3. He apologized to Richard after the match.
Denis Shapovalov reflected on his behavior
The Canadian star is a little temperamental and has often lost his cool during his matches. It was on display in spades at the Italian Open clash against Lorenzo Sonego.
Shapovalov apologized for his behavior after the match, stating that he needed to be better with his behavior. He also added that he would not be crossing the net again since he knew the rules now.
🚨FIGHTING ON IN ROME🚨
In a match filled with fireworks and drama, 🇨🇦Denis Shapovalov defeats 🇮🇹Lorenzo Sonego 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 to move into the second round of the Italian Open.
🇨🇦💪#romeopen
— Match Point Canada (@MatchPointCAN) May 9, 2022
“A lot of things happened in the heat of the moment. I need to be better with my behaviour. It was my mistake. I’ll know the rule for next time. I definitely won’t step over the net,” he said (via CBC).
Denis Shapovalov enjoyed a decent run at the tournament that year. He defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili and Rafael Nadal before Casper Ruud ousted him in the quarterfinals.