London was abuzz with excitement as Canadian tennis stars Bianca Andreescu and Denis Shapovalov secured hard-fought victories in their singles matches at Wimbledon on Friday.
In a thrilling second-round encounter, Andreescu, hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, battled past Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina, the 26th seed. The match showcased multiple momentum swings, with Andreescu eventually prevailing 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7) after a tense tiebreaker.
Meanwhile, Shapovalov, representing Richmond Hill, Ontario, faced a tough challenge against British wild-card entry Liam Broady. Despite dropping the opening set, Shapovalov staged a remarkable comeback to secure a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 victory. The Canadian dominated with his powerful serves, delivering 14 aces and hitting a total of 50 winners.
Shapovalov’s next opponent in the fourth round will be Roman Safiullin, a Russian ranked 92nd, who defeated Argentina’s Guido Pella in straight sets, 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-0.
Andreescu’s journey at Wimbledon continues with a challenging match against Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, the sixth seed. Jabeur showcased her prowess by swiftly dispatching Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan in a comprehensive 6-1, 6-1 victory that lasted just 45 minutes.
Adding to Canada’s success, Leylah Fernandez from Laval, Quebec, and American Taylor Townsend, the sixth-seeded women’s doubles team, kicked off their campaign with an impressive 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Alycia Parks and Peyton Stearns of the United States.