Denis Shapovalov reels off 5 straight wins to clinch 1st-round victory at Swiss Indoors tourney

Canada's Denis Shapovalov advanced to the second round of the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Swiss qualifier Remy Bertola on Wednesday in Basel.

The 27-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., had six aces while winning 80 per cent of his service points.

Shapovalov clinched the match with five straight wins in the second set.

He broke Bertola four times on nine chances while saving one of the two break points he faced.

Shapovalov, who entered the ATP 500 tournament ranked 52nd in the world, will next face the winner of a match between sixth-seeded American Taylor Fritz and Australian lucky loser Rinky Hijikata.

Montreal's Félix Auger-Aliassime won the title in Basel in 2022 and 2023.