The Swiss Indoors Basel quarterfinals witnessed an unexpected ending on October 24, 2025, as ninth seed Denis Shapovalov retired mid-match against Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca. The match at St. Jakobshalle Arena ended with controversy, leaving fans and observers questioning the circumstances behind the Canadian’s decision to withdraw from the ATP 500 tournament.
Denis Shapovalov’s Swiss Indoors Basel Quarterfinal Match Against Joao Fonseca
The quarterfinal clash between Shapovalov and Fonseca lasted one hour and 38 minutes before its abrupt conclusion. The ninth-seeded Canadian started strong, taking the opening set 6-3 after overcoming an early break in the first game. Shapovalov displayed his serving prowess with six aces compared to Fonseca’s two, though he struggled with consistency, committing nine double faults against the Brazilian’s three.
The 19-year-old Fonseca, ranked 46th in the world, mounted a comeback in the second set, winning 6-3. Statistics show Fonseca’s superior performance on return, converting 50% of his break point opportunities compared to Shapovalov’s 43%. The Brazilian also won 66.7% of second-serve return points, putting constant pressure on the Canadian’s service games.
The third set proved decisive as Fonseca broke Shapovalov’s serve twice to establish a 4-1 lead. At this point, the 23rd-ranked Shapovalov approached the umpire and retired from the match without specifying any injury, and the final scoreline read 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 in favor of Fonseca.
Overall match statistics showed Fonseca winning 52.2 percent of total points with 15 winners and 11 unforced errors, while Shapovalov also hit 15 winners but committed 16 unforced errors.
How Did the Tennis World React to Shapovalov’s Retirement?
The manner of Shapovalov’s withdrawal drew immediate response from the Basel crowd. Spectators booed the Canadian as he left the court, with many questioning whether the retirement stemmed from genuine physical issues or frustration at the match situation. The online tennis community also took a similar angle, criticizing the decision.
Talking about a possible injury, one fan wrote, “No he was just angry/frustrated it seemed, he was arguing with the ump a bit back but it didn’t look at anything major.”
Another fan wrote a pointed response to Shapovalov’s retirement, writing, “He just couldn’t handle to lose to a teenager.”
The way he withdrew from the match, a fan noted that the Canadian “suddenly lost interest” in the match.
One X user had harsh words following the decision, as they wrote, “He is just a clown, nothing new,” whereas another fan wrote, “Sore loser…”
“Shapo rage quitting like it’s a challenger 75 1st round… you’re on center court of an ATP 500 quarter-final, have some shame buddy,” wrote a fan, calling out the Canadian’s decision.
Fonseca’s advancement marked a significant milestone as he became the second-youngest semifinalist this century, the youngest in Basel since 2014. The Brazilian is set to face Spain’s Jaume Munar in the semifinals, who also benefited from a Canadian retirement after Felix Auger-Aliassime withdrew with a lower back injury.
With his first ATP 500 semifinal appearance, Fonseca continued his impressive 2025 season that included winning his maiden tour-level title at the Buenos Aires Argentina Open earlier this year.
