WATCH: “Right smack to the face”- Denis Shapovalov gets hit on the head during rally against Frances Tiafoe at Roland Garros, fans react

During their second-round match, Shapovalov got on the head.

WATCH: “Right smack to the face”- Denis Shapovalov gets hit on the head during rally against Frances Tiafoe at Roland Garros, fans react

Denis Shapovalov (Images via Imago, X)

Canada’s Denis Shapovalov faced America’s Frances Tiafoe in the second round of the ongoing Roland Garros tournament on Thursday (May 30). During their match, Tiafoe inadvertently hit the ball onto the Canadian’s head inside Court 11. 

Tiafoe secured the first set 7-6(7-4) and lost the next 6-4. The match was suspended when both won a game each in the third set. At one point during their rally, Tiafoe unleashed a forehand and before Shapovalov could defend it, the ball hit him right onto his head. The X handle of Roland Garros shared the video with the caption, “OUCH“. 

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Shapovalov then went on to win the match 6-7(4-7), 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. He won his first match easily against Frenchman Luca Van Assche 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Tiafoe, on the other hand, had to overcome Mattia Bellucci in five sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(6-8), 6-4, 6-4. 

Before the second-round encounter at Roland Garros, Shapovalov met Tiafoe six times and led the head-to-head record 4-2. Their first meeting was in the 2018 Delray Beach semifinal, which Tiafoe won, and his last victory over the Canadian came in the 2021 ATP Masters 1000 Canada. 

How did Denis Shapovalov and Frances Tiafoe fare this season before the Roland Garros?

Before the Roland Garros, Denis Shapovalov participated in the ATP 250 Geneva Open, losing to Tallon Griekspoor in the fourth round. He started this year at the ASB Classic and went on to play the Australian Open and the next few ATP 500 and ATP 1000 Masters events, without making it past the Round of 32. 

Denis Shapovalov
Frances Tiafoe, Denis Shapovalov (Images via Imago)

Apart from the Geneva Open, the only time he advanced into the fourth round was in the Open Sud De France event. The only title he has won in his career was the 2019 Stockholm Open beating, Filip Krajinovic in the final 6–4, 6–4.

On the other hand, Frances Tiafoe has bagged three titles in her career, the 2018 Delray Beach Open, the 2023 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships, and the 2023 Stuttgart Open. Like Shapovalov, the American has not lifted a trophy in 2024 so far. 

He kick-started his campaign this season with a quarterfinal loss in the Hong Kong Open. After playing several tournaments, he finally progressed to the final of the ATP Houston Open but lost to compatriot Ben Shelton in three sets. Before the Roland Garros, he played in the Lyon Open and reached the fourth round where Arthur Rinderknech defeated him in straight sets. 

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