BRISBANE – After a 2025 season marked by a rise in the world rankings and two ATP titles, Canadian Denis Shapovalov opened the 2026 season with defeat on Tuesday.
The 23rd-ranked Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ont., lost in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 to Belgium's Raphael Collignon in the first round of the Brisbane International.
Shapovalov, who dropped to 140th in 2024 due to a knee injury, finished sixth at the ATP 250 hard-court event and Collignon qualified.
This was the first meeting between the two players.
Shapovalov completed 54 percent of his first serves, served three aces and committed three double faults, presenting Collignon with 12 break points, three of which he converted.
Leila Fernandez of Laval, Quebec, plans to play her first match of 2026 on Tuesday against Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska. Fernandez is seeded 13th in Brisbane.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2026.
