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 best 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 only won two of his 12 breakpoints 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.
The number 52-ranked Paul, who won the boys’ singles title at the French Open in 2015, is assured of breaking into the world’s top 50 after this week.
