Cameron Norrie’s encouraging campaign at the Los Cabos Open has come to an end following a hard-fought, three-set loss to defending champion Denis Shapovalov in the semi-finals.
The British number two arrived in Mexico hoping to snap a grim six-match losing streak. He found his rhythm to reach the final four, but ultimately fell 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to the Canadian in a gritty battle of the left-handers.
Norrie, who previously claimed the Los Cabos crown in 2021, stumbled early. He dropped his opening service game, quickly slipping into a 2-0 hole. Despite creating opportunities to break back, he couldn't capitalize and surrendered the first set.
The second set began on rocky ground for Norrie, who was broken to love after a series of unforced forehand errors and a blistering return from Shapovalov. However, the Brit showed resilience, breaking back immediately to level the score. The momentum shifted late in the set when Norrie engineered two set points at 6-5, clinching the frame with a pinpoint forehand volley that painted the line.
Unfortunately for Norrie, the decisive third set mirrored his early struggles. He was broken in his opening service game—a setback that proved fatal to his title hopes. Shapovalov remained flawless on serve for the remainder of the set, closing out the grueling two-hour and 39-minute encounter.
Shapovalov now advances to the final, where he will face France's Arthur Gea. Gea secured his spot in the championship match by defeating Hong Kong's Coleman Wong 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 in the tournament's other semi-final.