Paris | Gasquet turns match around

Richard Gasquet took full advantage of an error-filled performance from Denis Shapovalov to reach the second round of the Paris Masters 6-4 7-6(3).

In what proved a surprising tune of events, Shapovalov started briskly asserting himself on the Frenchman to leap into a 3-0 lead, only for his game to fall apart, especially his serve as the number of double faults increased allowing Gaasquet to string together five consecutive games.

Having made 18 unforced errors including five double faults, Shapovalov having managed to hold serve, then conceded the first after 44-minutes.

Th 19-year-old Canadian tightened his game up for the second to again take command and lead 4-1 but Gasquet recovered his poise to level and go on and force a tie breaker where je kept his composure to claim the win on his first match point.

Earlier in the day, Russian Karen Khachanov began his campaign with a 7-5 6-2 win over last year’s runner-up Filip Krajinovic.

Khachanov, who won the Kremlin Cup earlier this month, recovered from 3-5 down and saved a set point to battle past his Serbian opponent in 75 minutes.