Tommy Paul won the first ATP Tour title of his career, beating Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to capture the Stockholm Open on Saturday.
The American player concluded the week of his life as a professional — during which he beat Andy Murray and compatriots Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe — by closing into the net on the back of a big first serve and hitting a winner on his third championship point.
Paul — wearing his cap back to front — only won two of his 12 break points against the defending champion, the big one coming at 4-4 in the third set when, at 0-40, he stretched to send a backhand down the line that Shapovalov of Canada couldn’t return at the net.
WATCH | Shapovalov suffers defeat against Paul in Stockholm Open final:
![](https://thumbnails.cbc.ca/maven_legacy/thumbnails/337/315/shapoNOV13.png?crop=1.777xh:h;*,*&downsize=510px:* 510w")
Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ontario was upset by American Tommy Paul 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the Stockholm Open final. 1:12
“It took my best tennis to beat Denis,” Paul said. “It’s the most fun I’ve had playing a tennis tournament.”
The No. 52-ranked Paul is assured of breaking into the world’s top 50 after this week. He won the boys’ singles title at the French Open in 2015.
“It was just a matter of time when he got a week like this,” said Shapovalov, who was defending the title he won in 2019.
The 2020 event was cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak.
WATCH | Shapovalov tops Auger-Aliassime to reach Stockholm Open final:
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