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Denis Shapovalov furious over Wimbledon conditions after early exit
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Tennis star Denis Shapovalov did not hesitate to speak his mind following his shocking exit in the first round at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, with the Canadian pointing fingers at the current court conditions of the grass courts this season.

With the goal of making it to the second week at SW19, the former World No. 10 took on Mariano Navone in the opening round. However, the Argentine rallied back after dropping the first set to prevail with a 3-6 6-4 6-1 6-4 victory.

Shapovalov not pleased with grass court conditions

The three-time ATP singles titlist was apparently not fond of the court conditions during his opening round clash. After the match, Shapovalov would complain about the balls being used, in addition to how slow the courts felt compared to other courts on tour.

"The balls are the worst, the grass tour has turned into a joke," said Shapovalov in an interview with news outlet Punto de Break. "This isn't grass anymore, the court is slower than a clay one. It's not even grass."

Shapovalov was hoping to replicate his 2021 Wimbledon performance, where he reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. Conversely, Navone, who is ranked at World No. 91, will take on Pedro Martinez in the second round. The Spaniard British wild card George Loffhagen in four sets during their first round encounter.

This article first appeared on TennisUpToDate.com and was syndicated with permission.

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