Cameron Norrie’s campaign at the Los Cabos Open came to an abrupt end early on Saturday morning when he fell to Denis Shapovalov. The British player, currently ranked No.
2 in his country, had been struggling with a six‑match losing run, yet he managed to reach the semifinals in Mexico, offering a glimmer of hope before the defeat. The encounter unfolded as a three‑set battle, with Norrie managing to claw back a set before ultimately succumbing 6‑3, 5‑7, 6‑4 to the defending champion.
The 30‑year‑old Brit was broken in his very first service game, slipping to a 0‑2 deficit and never fully recovering in the opening set, which Shapovalov took comfortably. In the second set, Norrie displayed resilience. After his opponent had broken him to love early, the British contender seized his chances, breaking back and leveling the score.
At 6‑5, Norrie even held two set points on Shapovalov’s serve, eventually clinching the set when a crisp forehand volley skimmed the line. The momentum, however, shifted again in the decider. Shapovalov’s power and precision proved decisive, and he held his serve to seal the match after a grueling 2 hours and 40 minutes of play, booking his place in the final.
Following the match, Shapovalov praised his own serving performance, saying, “Great serving from me today and I knew I needed it against a guy like Cam. He doesn’t give you many free points so I knew I had to try and hit my serves and hit tricky spots for him.” He added that he was pleased with the hard‑fought victory and was ready to rest after such a demanding contest.
The 2021 Wimbledon semifinalist will now face Arthur Gea in the final. Gea, a Frenchman, advanced by defeating Coleman Wong 7‑6(7), 6‑3, a win that is expected to propel him into the ATP Top 100 for the first time on Monday.
In the women’s draw, top‑seeded American Jessica Pegula overcame Russia’s Diana Shnaider 7‑5, 6‑4 on Saturday, setting up a Washington Open final against the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala. Pegula, currently World No. 3, is chasing her third title of the season and the 12th of her career after triumphs in Dubai and Charleston. The 32‑year‑old first captured a WTA title in Washington back in 2019.
Reflecting on her performance, Pegula said, “I just capitalised on a couple of areas. I think I started just trying to find the rhythm on the return.
I didn’t think I was that far off … So, just trying to pick up my energy and again, try and be a little bit more aggressive.” Eala, only 21, moved within a single victory of her inaugural WTA championship after delivering a composed display against four‑time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. This marks Eala’s third semifinal appearance of the year. She entered the match having already defeated second seed Elina Svitolina, securing her sixth win of the season over a top‑10 opponent.
The Filipino prodigy, who reached the Wimbledon fourth round last month, broke Osaka’s serve in the ninth game of the opening set after the players were deadlocked at 4‑4, then held serve to love to take the set. She continued her dominance in the second set, breaking early and again to go up 4‑2 before closing out the match in straight sets, never relinquishing her lead. Eala commented on the significance of the win, stating, “I think I played really well and, of course, it’s such a meaningful match against a great player.
So really happy to share the court with Naomi.” Her poised performance against a player of Osaka’s stature underscores her rapid rise on the tour and sets the stage for an exciting final against Pegula. Overall, the Los Cabos Open has produced a blend of gritty comebacks, emerging talent, and seasoned champions asserting their dominance. While Norrie’s hopes of halting his losing streak were dashed, the tournament continues to showcase the depth and unpredictability of modern tennis, promising more thrilling contests in the days ahead.