WATCH the ATP Tour LIVE in Australia on beIN SPORTS | Subscribe here and take advantage of our 7-day FREE TRIAL

“I just can’t put it in words right now. I’m just so happy,” Dedura-Palomero said. “I was struggling all these years and now I just got the wild card for qualifying. 

"I won against Top 100 Mackenzie McDonald [on Saturday], then lost against [Alexander] Bublik [on Sunday]. I had bad luck because there were three lucky losers who got in, and I was the fourth one.

“So I was waiting the whole day on Monday and then [Gael] Monfils pulled out. He hugged me and was so nice. I just went in and told myself to, 'Just have fun, go with the crowd and just play your best tennis'. I can’t put it in words. I’m just so happy right now.”

Dedura-Palomero saved both break points he faced in the second set against Shapovalov. Those came after he had produced a rock-solid tie-break to clinch the opening set, during which he showed few signs of nerves.

“On the outside you are calm and everything, but it’s a storm inside,” said Dedura-Palomero, who will face Zizou Bergs, a 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-5 winner against Bublik, in the second round. “You go over it in your mind. What happens if you win? With the crowd and everything, what will happen around you? Then I was just focused all the time and tried to hold my serve in the first set.

“Then in the tie-break he got a bit tight. I got the first point and saw he was a bit tight with the forehand. I tried to just put the ball in and move him and just fight for every point. At the end, I was just super happy.”

Another 17 year-old German talent, Justin Engel, was unable to join Dedura-Palomero in the second round. Fabian Marozsan proved too strong for the home hope, with the No. 77 in the ATP Rankings earning a 6-4, 6-1 first-round triumph. 

Marozsan will play fourth seed Ugo Humbert next, after the Frenchman downed Nicolas Jarry 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.