Cameron Norrie saw his encouraging run in Mexico come to a halt as he was beaten by Denis Shapovalov in the Los Cabos semi-final, falling 6-3 5-7 6-4 and extending a troubling streak to six consecutive defeats.
Early break sets the tone
The British No 2 was broken in his opening service game and ceded the opening set 6-3 as Shapovalov dictated play with power serving and aggressive ball-striking. Norrie fought back in the second set, manufacturing opportunities and converting a late chance to force a decider — a forehand volley that kissed the line at 6-5 handed him the set 7-5.
“Great serving from me today and I knew I needed it against a guy like Cam. He doesn't give you many free points so I knew I had to try and hit my serves and hit tricky spots for him,”
Shapovalov, who prevailed after two hours and 40 minutes, tightened his game in the third and held serve when it mattered to close out the match and secure his place in the Los Cabos final.
What the result means
- Norrie remains without a victory in his last six competitive matches.
- Shapovalov advances to the final and will face Arthur Gea, who beat Coleman Wong 7-6(7) 6-3.
- The contest lasted 2 hours 40 minutes, a physical encounter that swung on a handful of tight service games.
Scoreline snapshot
| Player | Sets |
|---|---|
| Denis Shapovalov | 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 |
| Cameron Norrie | 3, 7, 4 |
For Norrie — the 2021 Los Cabos champion — the defeat will be a frustration but also a barometer: he showed resilience to take the second set and flirted with momentum, yet was unable to sustain it against a Canadian who executed under pressure. Shapovalov, buoyed by his serving and the ability to hit precise targets, moves on to Sunday’s final looking to capitalise on the form that upset the Briton.
The result leaves Norrie searching for answers as he aims to halt his slide in the coming weeks; for Shapovalov, it is a timely reminder of the potency of his serve and a ticket to the decider in Mexico.
