Denis Shapovalov incurred a point penalty–and probably should have been handed a game penalty, too–late in the second set of his first-round match at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Monday afternoon, but he steadied the ship in time to advance.
Shapovalov shook of the controversy to silence the crowd and beat Italian hopeful Lorenzo Sonego 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3 after three hours and 11 minutes.
The incident took place as the 16th-ranked Canadian served at 3-4 in set two. He double-faulted on the deuce point and then crossed over the net to the other side of the court–which isn’t allowed–to argue the mark. Shapovalov was hit with a point penalty for his second code violation of the match and that cost him the game since it was now ad-out.
During his ensuing argument, the 23-year-old had some choice words for the crowd–which should have warranted another code violation and with it a game penalty.
Sonego managed to serve out the set at 5-3, anyway, but to the chagrin of the fans he could not get it done in the third.
Shapovalov will meet Nikoloz Basilashvili in the round of 32 before a potential showdown against Rafael Nadal.
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