Denis Shapovalov continued his stunning 2025 comeback with a dominant run at the Los Cabos Open, capturing his fourth career ATP title — and first ever on outdoor hard courts — with a straight-sets victory over American Aleksandar Kovacevic, 6-4, 6-2.
The 26-year-old Canadian, currently ranked World No. 33, was in full control all week. Seeded third at this ATP 250 tournament, Shapovalov did not drop a set in the entire event, dispatching Govind Nanda, Tristan Schoolkate, and Adam Walton on his way to the final. In fact, he didn’t lose more than three games in a set until the title match.
Saturday’s final lasted just 61 minutes, with Shapovalov firing six aces, winning 81% of his first-serve points, and saving the lone break point he faced. He converted four of his eight break-point opportunities and displayed precise control with 15 winners and minimal unforced errors.
“It’s amazing,” Shapovalov said after hoisting the trophy. “To win three titles in seven months is incredible. I had good results before but couldn’t quite finish it. Moments like these make all the hard work worth it.”
Comeback Season Continues
Shapovalov’s victory in Los Cabos follows his title at the 2025 Dallas Open (ATP 500) in February and the 2024 Serbian Open in November. It’s been a stellar stretch for the left-hander from Toronto, who battled back from a serious knee injury post-Wimbledon 2023 that saw his ranking tumble as low as No. 140.
His Los Cabos title sees him rise five spots in the ATP rankings, returning to World No. 28, marking a significant step in his comeback season.
A Historic Final Matchup
Interestingly, this was the first ATP final since 2019 (Tsitsipas vs Thiem at the ATP Finals) featuring two players with one-handed backhands — a rare treat for tennis purists.
On the other side of the net, 25-year-old Aleksandar Kovacevic had reached the final with an impressive semifinal win over top seed Andrey Rublev. Though he fell short of capturing his maiden ATP title, Kovacevic’s performance in Los Cabos will propel him to a career-high ranking near No. 56.
Shapovalov Joins Elite Company in 2025
Shapovalov becomes just the sixth player this season to win multiple tour-level titles, joining the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Taylor Fritz, Flavio Cobolli, and Jannik Sinner. Notably, he joins a select group of 2025 champions who have won events without dropping a single set — a list that includes Ugo Humbert, Fritz, and Tallon Griekspoor.
His title run in Los Cabos is also marked by defensive brilliance — across all his matches, opponents averaged just two aces per match, a testament to his elite return game and anticipation.
Denis Shapovalov’s Career ATP Titles (as of July 2025):
- 2025 Los Cabos Open – def. Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 6-2
- 2025 Dallas Open – def. Casper Ruud 7-6, 6-3
- 2024 Serbian Open – def. Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 6-4
- 2019 Stockholm Open – def. Filip Krajinovic 6-4, 6-4
As Shapovalov reclaims his place among the ATP elite, his sights now turn to the North American hard-court swing, where he’ll aim to continue his 2025 momentum. One thing is clear: Denis Shapovalov is back, and he’s better than ever.
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