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ATP roundup: Denis Shapovalov ends two-year drought to advance to Belgrade final

Reuters
Shapovalov is finally one game away from a title again
Shapovalov is finally one game away from a title againAction Images via Reuters / Ed Sykes
Canadian qualifier Denis Shapovalov (25) blew past Czech fourth seed Jiri Lehecka (23) to advance to the final of the Belgrade Open on Friday in the Serbian capital.

Shapovalov, once ranked as highly as 10th in the world, had not reached an ATP Tour final since October 2022. His only career title came at the Stockholm Open in October 2019.

Shapovalov blitzed Lehecka 6-2, 6-1 in 56 minutes, winning a whopping 25 of 26 first-service points (96.2 per cent) and 15 of 18 points on second return (83.3 per cent).

His opponent in the final will be Serbian home favourite Hamad Medjedovic. In a battle of two wildcards from Serbia, Medjedovic - ranked 156th in the world - staved off Laslo Djere 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 . Shapovalov even made a funny comment after his victory regarding Serbian fans. 

Moselle Open

Great Britain's Cameron Norrie will face French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi in the final in Metz, France after each man won in the semi-finals.

Norried earned a 6-2, 7-6 victory over Frenchman Corentin Moutet. He doubled up Moutet in winners (28-14) and converted four of five break-point opportunities, but he had to rally from down 5-2 in the second-set tiebreaker and won five straight points to put away the match. This will be Norrie's first final appearance of 2024.

Bonzi, seeking his first tour-level trophy in front of a home crowd, rallied past Alex Michelsen 4-6, 6-0, 7-5.

Bonzi smashed nine aces and saved seven of 10 break points, but Michelsen saved four match points before Bonzi finally made good on his fifth opportunity.