With his first Masters 1000 title, the current No.62 will move up in the rankings to No.23. 
Not only was his play practically perfect, Popyrin made the most of the opportunities he got from Rublev, who was way out of his comfort zone. 
READ: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2024/granollers-zeballos-reign-supreme-doubles" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Granollers and Zeballos reign supreme in doubles</a>
Rublev got things started by dropping the first seven points and giving Popyrin a 2-0 lead. What happened to Rublev? It was one of two things: he was half asleep or the stakes were too high. It’s happened before. He’s disappeared from four Slam quarterfinals and has never won a Masters 1000 on a hard court. 
It’s a crack he’s talked openly about. He’s an ultra-emotional player who hasn’t yet learned to access his best tennis in high-pressure situations. 
After giving away two breaks in the first set, Rublev found himself down 1-3 in the second. Then, a sudden burst of energy helped him break back and even things out. 
READ: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2024/catching-up-acclaimed-musician-tennis-fan-alexandra-streliski" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catching up with acclaimed musician and tennis fan Alexandra Stréliski</a> 
Popyrin stays the course

The reversal of fortune didn’t last. He was broken again and had trouble handling his rival’s laser-focused shots. A string of errors then put the match beyond his reach. 
The numbers don’t lie. In the end, Popyrin racked up 72 points, 10 aces and 3 double faults versus 54 points, 4 aces and 5 double faults for his opponent. 
Alexei Popyrin adds the most prestigious title of his career to the two ATP 250 championships already in his trophy case. For his efforts and the surprise he caused, he’ll pocket US$1,040,460, while Rublev will have to make do with US$573,090.
Featured photo by: Pascal Ratthé

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Peroni Refresh: Alexei Popyrin’s extraordinary feat!

The two rivals actually have a lot in common. They’re both 24 years old and are both 6’5”. They each hold two ATP titles and are determined to secure a spot in the Top 10. 
Korda sits at No.18 and Popyrin at No.62, but that’s about to change since, later this week, the Australian will move up to No.30 or to No.23 if he wins the tournament—two potential rankings that better reflect how hardworking he is.
Two games make the difference
The 92-minute match was decided over two consecutive games. The shaky first set, which was marked by so many break points, was settled by tiebreak. Popyrin didn’t let his opponent win any points (7-0) and gave himself a wave of confidence he rode straight to the end. 
In the first game of the second set, Popyrin secured the break on a ball that rolled over the net before dropping into play and never looked back. He won another break at 5-3 and sealed the deal. 
In the end, Alexei Popyrin won 83% of points when his first serve was in play, considerably more than Korda’s 66% success rate. 
Korda and Popyrin are now 1-1 in their head-to-head.
Can Popyrin’s high spirits withstand Andrey Rublev’s the sledgehammer blows in tomorrow’ final? Tune in to find out! 
Andrey Rublev cruises into the final
No.5 seed Andrey Rublev had never gone past the third round of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers. But that was the old Rublev.
The  Rublev who’s spending the week at IGA Stadium in Montréal is more self-confident and in full command of his neutralizing power and accuracy. This evening, he gave his opponent Matteo Arnaldi a 78-minute masterclass in control that ended with a final score of 6-4, 6-2.
Rublev hit 16 winners and only 10 unforced errors, while Arnaldi managed 10 winners and 13 unforced errors. The total points worked out to 60 for Rublev and 45 for Arnaldi. 
Despite the intruding wind, the more formidable Rublev honed in on the targets that suited him, while the 23-year-old Italian struggled.
READ: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2024/rublev-finally-getting-some-wins-canada" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rublev finally getting some wins in Canada</a>
The World No.8, who holds 16 ATP titles including two Masters 1000 crowns (Monaco 2023 and Madrid 2024), is now on a mission to secure his first major hard court championship and even feels ready to go all the way at a Slam after getting as far as the quarters of all four events. 
Start strong, finish strong
In the opening set, Rublev broke Arnaldi and never looked back. 
Then, after a lengthy rain delay, he was even more dominant in the second set, breaking his unnerved opponent not once but twice. He hit four aces and one double fault (two aces and one double fault for Arnaldi). 
Rublev also mastered his service game, giving up only one break on which Arnaldi couldn’t capitalize and making the most of all three he was offered. 
An unprecedented Monday final
There’s no tournament like the National Bank Open presented by Rogers. And on Monday, it will feature an unexpected 7:30 p.m. final that pits no.5 seed Andrey Rublev against the unseeded Alexei Popyrin.
Both players have earned their place in the final. Rublev toppled the World No.1 Jannik Sinner, as well as Matteo Arnaldi, Brandon Nakashima and Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
As for Popyrin, he disposed of Tomas Machac, Ben Shelton, Grigor Dimitrov, Hubert Hurkacz and Sebastian Korda. He played one match more than Rublev since he didn’t benefit from the same first-round bye. 
Different paths
To date, Rublev’s career remains the most illustrious of the two. As a junior, he won the 2015 ITF Masters and 2014 Roland-Garros. And in 2021, he took home the Davis Cup and ATP Cup. 
There are 16 ATP winner’s crowns in his trophy case (9 ATP 250, 5 ATP 500, 2 Masters 1000) and 9 runner-up prizes, including Monaco, Shanghai and Cincinnati. He’s also reached the quarters of all four Slams. 
When he’s feeling confident, this boxer’s son can dismantle any opponent. 
Popyrin, on the other hand, has a more modest record.
The Australian, who turned 25 just last week, has spent his career training in Spain, which explains the consistency of his game. He won junior Roland-Garros in 2017 and two ATP 250 titles (Singapore and Umag). The current No.62, who’s risen as high as No.40, is guaranteed to ascend to No.33 and to No.20 if he wins the tournament.
He and Rublev and are 1-1. Rublev won in Vienna in 2023, and Popyrin stopped Rublev from defending his title in Monte Carlo earlier this year.
But first, doubles
The evening session gets underway at 5 p.m. with the doubles final, as top seeds Marcel Granollers (Spain) and Horacio Zeballos (Argentina) battle no.3 seeds Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (UK).
Korda drives out Zverev
On Sunday afternoon, Sebastian Korda of the US advanced to the semifinals of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers with a win over no.2 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany (7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-4).
And the onus is on Zverev. As soon as the match got underway, he asserted his dominance and quickly forged a 3-0 lead but wasn’t immune to a few surprise errors and ill-timed double faults. Korda soon caught up, took the set to a tiebreak and won.
In the second set, Zverev came out of the gate like a new man. He’d found his serve and the accuracy of his groundstrokes and got the job done in a flash.
Reversal of fortune
Tennis matches aren’t over until they’re over. In the third set, Korda found his game as Zverev gradually lost sight of his. The young American broke at 4-4 and then served for the match. 
The stats only tell half the story, and it can be eye opening to look at when players make their costliest mistakes and most brilliant shots. 
Zverev was broken only twice but at the worse times. In the first set, the break forced him to play a tiebreak he ended up losing. And then in the third, the break gave Korda a 5-4 lead. 
Meanwhile, Korda was broken four times at the start of the match and in the second set, when breaks had less of an impact on the final result. Even Zverev’s 99 points (92 for Korda) weren’t much of a factor. 
Even more importantly, Zverev hit 11 double faults. 
Popyrin sends Hurkacz home
After two drawn-out three-set matches the day before, no.4 seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland couldn’t produce a miracle on Sunday afternoon. On Rogers Court, he fell to 24-year-old Australian Alexei Popyrin (3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5) at the outcome of a nearly three-hour match (2:48). 
With increasingly high winds blowing around the court, the players exchanged a mind-boggling 31 break points. Popyrin staved off 17 of 20, and Hurkacz countered 8 of 11. 
In the end, it was Popyrin’s 24 aces that made the difference.
Popyrin and Korda face off on Sunday night to wrap up the session.
Featured photo by: Patrice Bériault

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Popyrin surprises Korda

His health, nagging leg pain, exhaustion and Andrey Rublev’s superlative tennis all explain why. At IGA Stadium in Montréal, the World No.1 suffered a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 defeat at the hands of the fifth seed in a match full of ups and downs through which he failed to live up to his reputation. 
From the very first point, Sinner struggled to find his bearings. In their game of cat and mouse, his opponent always got the last word.
Just as the second set was getting underway, the skies opened up. After a 25-minute delay, Sinner came out of the gate strong, backing Rublev into a corner with dominant and precise shots. 
But the pain and nausea soon caught up with him. The third set was absolute torture for Sinner, who’d reached the end of his rope. He held out until the very last point, but there was no real hope of bouncing back. 
He hit 16 unforced errors, far more than usual, and lost to Andrey Rublev for the third time in eight tries.
As for Rublev, he was unstoppable in two of the three sets. He managed to beat Sinner on his groundstrokes and kept his composure even when things weren’t going his way.
Rublev is now set to compete in his very first National Bank Open semifinal. 
Arnaldi has the last word
Matteo Arnaldi added Kei Nishikori to his list of victims at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers.
On Saturday night, he fought his way into the semis with a win over the 34-year-old Japanese ace (6-4, 7-5), who was on serve for a tiebreak but made three consecutive errors to give Arnaldi the break and throw in the towel. 
With flashes of spectacle, the match ended after exactly two hours of intense combat and often drawn-out backcourt rallies. In this game of patience, the young right-hander from Sanremo got the last word. His more formidable serve earned him five aces (none for Nishikori). 
After defeating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the morning and Nishikori late in the evening, Arnaldi will be back on Centre Court on Sunday at 5 p.m. to face Andrey Rublev (5). He’ll have to dig deep into his reserves, if he has any left, to dispose of this tough and experienced opponent.
Hurkacz fights on
In his two-hour battle against Arthur Rinderknech, Hubert Hurkacz (4) left it all on the court to secure his second three-set win of the day (6-4, 3-6, 6-4).
He earned 3 service breaks (2 for Rinderknech) and made 10 unforced errors (15 for Rinderknech). For a man who underwent knee surgery just last month, Hurkacz seems to be back and better than ever.
Recognition all around
<ul><li>On Saturday evening, Félix Dolci, Aurélie Tran and William Émard, three Canadian athletes who just returned from Paris, were honoured for their performances at the Olympics. </li><li>It was also Volunteers’ Day at the NBO in recognition of everything the volunteers do, rain or shine, to make the tournament possible. </li></ul>
READ: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2024/bruins-fan-korda-getting-some-luck-montreal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bruins fan Korda getting some luck in Montréal</a>
Zverev holds off Rune
Alexander Zverev (2) seemed to be coasting. After breaking Holger Rune and closing out the first set 6-4, he was on course for a decisive victory.
But the resilient Rune wasn’t ready to pack up his racquet bag just yet. The 13th seed fought back and then broke his rival to force a second set tiebreak. 
<figure><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_default/12219686/Alexander-Zverev_R3_OBN-2024_PB.webp" alt="" /><figcaption>Photo: Patrice Bériault</figcaption></figure>
Once again, Zverev got up 6-2, but the Dane bounced back to bring the score to 6-5. In the end, it took six match points for the German to seal the deal (6-3, 7-6(5)) and book his ticket to the quarterfinals after 1:43 of play.
Alexander Zverev was especially brilliant on serve, hitting 8 aces and 2 double faults compared to 2 aces and 8 double faults for Rune. 
Dimitrov runs out of steam
Against Alexei Popyrin, veteran Grigor Dimitrov resisted as long as he could but ultimately fell 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3. For a long time, it looked as if the Bulgarian would claim victory in the second-set tiebreak, but he wasn’t able to make it happen. 
Some of the match’s most impressive stats were posted by Popyrin, who withstood 8 of the 9 breaks he handed his opponent. As for Dimitrov, he was broken the only time he ended up in trouble. 
Brilliant Rublev
You can never be entirely sure what kind of tennis he’ll serve you, but there’s no denying that Andrey Rublev has been brilliant this week in Montréal. Against qualifier Brandon Nakashima of the US, the World No.5 was nothing short of imperial. 
It took him only 63 minutes to send his rival back to the locker room (6-2, 6-2). He gave away zero break points, broke the No.52 six times and scored 59 points (37 for Nakashima)—a level of domination Rublev hadn’t shown in months! 
Meanwhile, Matteo Arnaldi took advantage of Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s withdrawal. After just over two and half hours, the Spaniard threw in the towel at 0-3 in the third set. 
Finally, Casper Ruud, who was slated to challenge Sebastian Korda, bowed out due to illness.
<figure><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_default/12219620/Hubi-Hurkacz-match-point-reaction_OBN-2024_PR.webp" alt="" /><figcaption>Photo: Pascal Ratthé</figcaption></figure>
 Hurkacz, in extremis
After undergoing surgery for the serious knee injury he suffered at Wimbledon on July 9, Hubert Hurkacz (4) made his big comeback on Centre Court at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers on Saturday afternoon.
And his reappearance was a resounding success, since he managed to outmanoeuvre Thanasi Kokkinakis at the outcome of a marathon match (2:28). 
Although his knee was perhaps a little stiff and he wasn’t as quick as he was earlier this summer, Hurkacz could still count on his powerful serve and was broken only once <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/matches-players/scores" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6))</a>.
After a lot of back-and-forth in the third-set tiebreak, the Pole was finally rewarded on his third match point. 
He dominated with 43 winners (29 for Kokkinakis) and 32/40 net points won to maintain a perfect 4-0 record against the Australian.
“I didn’t even know when I’d be able to play after Wimbledon. It’s a win I really appreciate,” Hurkacz said after the match. 
Korda ousts Fritz
The 29-year-old French right-hander Arthur Rinderknech also qualified for the third round this morning. The No.65 caused a bit of a surprise when he elegantly disposed of 22-year-old Flavio Cobolli, who’s been playing impressive tennis of late (6-3, 6-2). 
It took Rinderknech 71 minutes to punch his ticket, collecting 5 break points and racking up 57 points (39 for Cobolli). His Italian rival made 18 unforced errors, often at key moments. 
Neither Rinderknech nor Hurkacz are done for the day, since they’ll go head-to-head later. 
Fans on Court 9 were also in for an interesting surprise when Sebastian Korda (6-4, 7-6(4)) got the better of Taylor Fritz (9).
The only break of the match sealed the first set for Korda, who was especially efficient with 88% net points won and came away with 80 points (74 for Fritz). He posted his first win against his countryman in three tries.
Sunday best
Tennis fans can be certain the best is yet to come. With three of the week’s sessions postponed due to rain, Sunday will feature what could best be described as a double bill.
The tennis balls get rolling at 12:30 with a doubles confrontation, followed by what promises to be an incredible program. 
At 2 p.m., fans will be treated to two quarterfinal singles battles. On Centre Court, Sebastian Korda, who toppled Taylor Fritz, will cross swords with Alexander Zverev (2), who’s been playing super solid tennis and is now the logical favourite to win his second title in Montréal. 
The winner of that match will be back on Centre Court at 8 p.m. for the evening’s second semifinal. 
Also at 2 p.m., Hubert Hurkacz (4) will grapple with Alexei Popyrin, who’s been on fire this week, on Rogers Court.
At 5 p.m., Matteo Arnaldi will have the dubious privilege of taking on Andrey Rublev (5), who got to the final four with a win over World No.1 Jannik Sinner. 
In between the singles matches, fans can head over to Rogers Court to catch some doubles. 
Featured photo by: Patrice Bériault

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Sinner at the end of his rope

Downpours have wreaked their fair share of havoc on this year’s National Bank Open presented by Rogers, whose activities have been slowed and postponed. 
First, the Thursday evening session was cancelled due to persistent drizzle. Then the Friday matches were put on ice when the tail end of tropical storm Debby pushed the competition to Saturday.
That means the players have two hectic days ahead of them, since most will have to battle twice on Saturday and Sunday. The situation is worst for those who didn’t play on Thursday night and are still in the second round of a tournament that wraps up on Monday.
If they win, they still face an uphill battle, namely five singles matches. 
But Montréal isn’t the only city to contend with increasingly challenging, not to say extreme, weather conditions. There were rainouts in Rome, Paris and even in the middle of the desert in Indian Wells (and those bees!). 
Super Saturday
Assuming things go swimmingly on Saturday, fans will be rewarded for their patience <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/matches-players/match-schedule?tournament=atp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">with plenty of sensational tennis action</a>. It all starts at 11 a.m.
READ: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2024/getting-know-19-singles-players-left-montreal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Getting to know the 19 singles players left in Montréal</a>
Up first is the second round. On Centre Court, Hubert Hurkacz takes on Thanasi Kokkinakis. Over on Rogers Court, Flavio Cobolli and Arthur Rinderknech will finish what they started, while Sebastian Korda and Taylor Fritz (9) head over to Court 5.
Afterwards, but not before 12:30, World No.1 Jannik Sinner continues his title defense against Canadian-born Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (15) on Centre Court. Rogers Court will host Andrey Rublev (5) and Brandon Nakashima, and Court 5 will be stage of Kei Nishikori versus Nuno Borges. Meanwhile, Matteo Arnaldi and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will collide on Court 9.
Alexander Zverev (2) and Holger Rune (13) play the third match of the day on Centre Court. Third on Rogers Court are Grigor Dimitrov (7) and Alexei Popyrin.
After 4 p.m., Casper Ruud will try to outlast either Korda or Fritz on Rogers Court, while the two winners of the 11 a.m. matches square off on Court 5. 
And there’s plenty more action in the evening. Sinner or Tabilo will make another appearance on Centre Court against either Nakashima or Rublev. Then Davidovich Fokina or Arnaldi will face Borges or Nishikori.
And don’t forget all the doubles duels throughout the day! 
Featured photo: Patrice Bériault

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Jam-packed weekend ahead as rain wreaks havoc in Montreal

The star student landed in Montréal 8 days ago to fine-tune his game and get his North American swing off on the right foot.
After letting his main rival Carlos Alcaraz bask in the limelight for the past two months, he’s determined to prove he’s the rightful No.1. 
His match against Borna Coric may not have been the best he’s ever played, but the beauty and consistency of his shots were more than enough to earn him a 6-2, 6-4 win in 96 minutes. 
READ: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2024/after-disappointing-olympics-nishikori-upsets-upset-tsitsipas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">After Disappointing Olympics, Nishikori upsets an upset Tsitsipas</a>
Over on Rogers Court, Casper Ruud (6) had a bit of a scare when he lost the second set to James Duckworth, but he got his game together to close things out 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3.
And Holger Rune marches on in Montréal. He spent just 66 minutes taking down 2022 NBO champion Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain (6-1, 6-3).<figure><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_default/12216857/Dimitrov-round-2-selfie_OBN-2024.webp" alt="" /><figcaption>Photo: Patrice Bériault</figcaption></figure>
Zverev and Dimitrov breeze into the next round
This afternoon, Alexander Zverev (2) showed everyone at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers that he’s a fierce contender for the title in Montreal. Against Jordan Thompson of Australia, he was merciless en route to an easy 6-1, 6-1 win. He spent 63 minutes racking up 52 points (25 for Thompson) and 20 winners (4 for Thompson) to move into round three. 
“I wanted to be combative, and that’s what I did,” he explained.
Grigor Dimitrov (7) of Bulgaria was even more efficient, annihilating Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata in 55 minutes (6-1, 6-0).
Against Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina, Andrey Rublev (5) had to bounce back from one break down in the first set before he found his groove and closed things out after 85 minutes of play (7-6(5), 6-2).
Two headliners weren’t as fortunate. Tommy Paul (10) of the US suffered a surprise three-set loss to his countryman Brandon Nakashima (6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-1), and Ugo Humbert of France battled for nearly three hours (2:48) but ultimately lost to Nuno Borges of Portugal (3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4)).
<figure><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_default/12218045/GSE-Coin-Toss_OBN-2024.webp" alt="" /><figcaption>Photo: Pascal Ratthé</figcaption></figure>
 Medvedev and Tsitsipas take their leaves 
Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev (3) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) were both toppled in matches well within their reach. 
Medvedev, who’s by far the most successful of the two on the hard courts, was ousted by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (6-4, 1-6, 6-2) in just under two hours (1:55). In their roller-coaster match, the former US Open champion played only one solid set, which isn’t enough to move through a Masters 1000. He got back on track after a tough fight in the first set but couldn’t keep the momentum going in the third. Unable to count on his speed, he couldn’t find a way to outsmart the methodical Spaniard, whose reflexes were sharper than a knife, or even return his serves. 
Daniil Medvedev wasn’t the only player who packed up early. Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered the wrath of Kei Nishikori (6-4, 6-4), whose two breaks versus only one for the Greek titan made the difference. 
Incidentally, the statistics favoured Tsitsipas. He hit 9 aces and 21 winners compared to 1 ace and 13 winners for his opponent and made fewer unforced errors. Sometimes clumsy on a hard court, Tsitsipas lacked accuracy when it mattered most, while Nishikori stayed as consistent as a metronome.
Photo: Sarah-Jäde Champagne

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Sinner did his homework

Against an up-and-coming 22-year-old who came straight to Montréal from the final in Washington, Félix would’ve had to dig very deep and lock and load every weapon in his arsenal. 
But that’s not what happened on Wednesday evening on Centre Court at IGA Stadium in Montréal, in the first round of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers. While Flavio Cobolli hammered out a perfect match, FAA lacked accuracy and speed and squandered his first serves. 
And with that, Cobolli emerged victorious by the cruel score of 6-3, 6-2, leaving no doubt as to his dominance. 
There’s no denying that Auger-Aliassime put up some so-so stats. He hit zero aces and racked up five double faults. His first serve percentage was only 46%, and he collected 33 points versus 54 for his opponent. 
Unsurprisingly, the first set lasted 33 minutes and the second 34. It was a painful loss undoubtedly caused by the 18 hours Félix spent in pursuit of an Olympic medal in Paris last week. 
Auger-Aliassime is now 0-2 against Cobolli. 
Pospisil in pain 
Fans would have loved to find a seat on the neighbouring court to see Vasek Pospisil take on Sebastian Korda of the US, but unfortunately the Canadian veteran had to bow out at 2-1 in the opening set. Despite investing every effort, he’s had a tough time bouncing back from all the injuries that plague him. 
In the second round, Flavio Cobolli will spend his evening on Rogers Court, where he’ll battle Arthur Rinderknech of France who took down his countryman Adrian Mannarino (6-4, 2-6, 6-4). 
Taylor Fritz (9) got his tournament off to a flying start. He overpowered Mariano Navone, who’s less comfortable on hard courts, in two sets (6-4, 6-1). 

Flawless Kokkinakis 
In the last match of the day, Thanasi Kokkinakis punched his ticket for the second round with a sometimes-spectacular win over 37-year-old Gaël Monfils (6-3, 6-3). Despite his trademark flashes of brilliance, the Frenchman just couldn’t keep up with the Australian’s impeccable play. 
As for Jannik Sinner, he and Jack Draper moved into the quarterfinals of the doubles event by overpowering Ben Shelton and Alexander Bublik 7-6 (2), 6-1. 
Meanwhile, Casper Ruud and Miomir Kecmanovic ousted Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni (7) of Argentina. 
 
Unfortunately for the Canadians Liam Draxl and Benjamin Sigouin, their run was ended by Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz (10) of Germany.

Match Report

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Auger-Aliassime ejected by Cobolli

On hand was doubles legend Daniel Nestor, who won Canada's first Olympic tennis medal 24 years ago, was on hand in Montreal on Tuesday night to congratulate Félix Auger-Aliassime for winning bronze in Paris. A well-deserved tribute!
Quite a few stars from the Quebec sports and entertainment were also in attendance to kick off main draw action at IGA  including Virginie Coossa, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, Chantal Machabée, the Dufour-Lapointe sisters, Pierre-Luc Funk, Marc-André Grondin, Jean-Thomas Jobin, Claude Meunier, Alex Burrows, David Savard, Charles-Antoine Sinotte and Félix-Antoine Tremblay. Too tall an order for our Canadians
Canadian Gabriel Diallo battled the very experienced Karen Khachanov, but his admirable efforts weren’t enough.
He was defeated in two identical sets (6-4, 6-4) after 88 minutes of play, though not without demonstrating some excellent skill. 
Pospisil and Shapovalov lose in doubles
Doubles is its own sport, and excellence in singles isn’t enough to master it. Despite their best efforts and combined skills at the net, the all-Canadian team of Vasek Pospisil and Denis Shapovalov couldn’t get past the opening round at IGA Stadium in Montréal. 
Read: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/recapitulatif-atp-de-la-journee/2024/peroni-nastro-azzuro-refresh-rain-sends-players-back-hotel" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Rain sends the players back to the hotel</a>
It must be said that they were up against tough opponents. Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori (5) capitalized on their experience to seal a 6-4, 6-3 win.
As for Félix Auger-Aliassime and Alexis Galarneau (who was still recovering from his heartbreaking loss in singles), they were annihilated by Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson (12) of Australia, falling 6-0, 6-1 on Rogers Court. Galarneau nearly qualifies
On Tuesday morning, Alexis Galarneau of Laval came very, very close to being the only Canadian qualifier in the main draw of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers at IGA Stadium in Montréal.
Galarneau and Rinky Hijikata of Australia were one set apiece when a Monday downpour put their match on hold. As soon as the balls got rolling again, the 25-year-old Quebecer had a strong restart and was able to count on the weapons that had secured him the opening set.
At 4-3 in his favour, he broke his opponent and was on serve for the match. Unhappily, nerves creeped in and Galarneau let Hijikata break back and take control. 
The match was ultimately decided by tiebreaker. Galarneau snatched a 2-0 lead with a mini break but then the tides turned in the Australian’s favour. Hijikata closed things out 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Feature photo: Pascal Ratthé

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Festivities for FAA in Montreal

But when the skies opened up, organizers had to carry the day’s matches over to Tuesday morning, before the start of the main draw. 
Tomorrow, Alexis Galarneau of Laval, the only Canadian still standing, will need to win only one set to go through. When his match against No.80 Rinky Hijikata (11) was put on hold, they were a set apiece and two points into the third (6-2, 4-6, 15-15).
Galarneau had a strong showing in the first set, taking a 3-0 lead and then coasting to 6-2.
READ: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/recapitulatif-atp-de-la-journee/2024/peroni-nastro-azzuro-refresh-galarneau-step-away-from-main-draw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Galarneau a step away from the main draw</a>
In the second, he was up 3-1 but fumbled on a run of service breaks. Hijikata got the upper hand and closed things out on the fifth set point.
Only one player qualified today when Arthur Rinderknech of France benefited from Christopher O’Connell’s withdrawal at 2-1 in the opening set.
While tennis was front and centre, there were also plenty of other fun activities in store for fans.
Stefanos Tsitsipas got in on a kids’ yoga session as part of the Mental Timeout initiative supported by Beneva, which encourages players to take time for themselves between matches and maintain a healthy balance. 
Meanwhile. fans of Félix Auger-Aliassime, the newly-minted Olympic bronze medallist in mixed doubles got to see him train on Court 7 even as the rain drops fell. 
Feature photo: Sarah-Jäde Champagne

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Rain sends the players back to the hotel

He masterfully disposed of sixth-seeded Facundo Diaz Acosta of Argentina in two identical sets (6-4, 6-4). 
Tomorrow, the Quebecer takes on Rinky Hijikata for a spot in the main draw. The Aussie defeated Daniel Altmaier 7-6(4), 6-1 to advance.<figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RzX2gClGlRk?si=-OZma9pCF76y_IMr" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
 

Tough day for the Canadians
It can never be emphasized enough: the qualifying rounds of a Masters 1000 tournament are a battle of titans. The 14 seeded competitors are all card-carrying members of the world elite, ranking between No.49 and No.83. 
At a Slam, many of them would be entered directly in the main draw without having to qualify. But at a Masters 1000, they have to spar in two often tricky qualifying matches.
The three other Canadians in the first round didn’t make it through.
Read: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2024/pwhl-vs-atp-ball-hockey-game-scores-big-day-one-montreal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PWHL vs. ATP Ball Hockey Game Scores Big on Day One in Montreal</a>
Liam Draxl (Newmarket, ON) was defeated by Borna Coric of Croatia, a former member of the Top 20. Taha Baadi fell to Jakub Mensik (7) of Czechia (6-3, 7-5).
Up against American Brandon Nakashima, who’s seen his fair share of main draws, Nicolas Arsenault lost 6-3, 6-2.
Finally, the top seed, No.49 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, was stopped in his tracks by Mackenzie McDonald of the US (6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4).
On Sunday, the deciding round gets underway at 11 a.m. Seven players will punch their ticket for the main draw. Alexis Galarneau is the last Canadian standing. 
Feature photo: Pascal Ratthé

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Galarneau a step away from the main draw

The match started off with both players holding serve through the first four games and cautiously feeling out each other’s games like a couple of boxers circling one another in the ring before throwing any punches. 
Serving at 2-3, 40-AD, de Minaur ventured into the net and Sinner made a perfect lob over his head for the first break of the match. The Australian had been so successful in his previous matches at net, but Sinner was ready for that challenge today. 
Unphased, de Minaur kept his focus and in the very next game broke with the help of his trademark consistency until he drew an error from Sinner on break point and to get back on serve. 
Sinner seemed to be holding with relative ease while de Minaur struggled through longer games when he stepped-up to the line. After a routine hold from the Italian for 5-4, de Minaur found himself quickly down 0-40, giving Sinner triple set point. The seventh seed only needed one more shot to take the opening set 6-4. <figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YLZUFP2bkoE" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>With Sinner now finding his range more and more with his impressive ground strokes, de Minaur had more and more trouble keeping-up with him. While serving at 1-2, 30-30, de Minaur gave away the next two points with successive forehand and backhand errors to give Sinner the first break of the second set. There was no looking back from there for Sinner as he rattled-off the next five consecutive games to take the match 6-4, 6-1 in one hour 29 minutes. 
Some telling statistics from the match include the fact that de Minaur won only 46 per cent of his first serve points against Sinner in the championship match. The Italian capitalized on de Minaur’s serve, breaking him on five out of 10 break opportunities. 
Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/jessica-pegula-crowned-champion-national-bank-open-presented-rogers-montreal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jessica Pegula Crowned Champion of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Montreal</a>
After the match, the two players spoke very kindly towards one another. They sometimes practice together in Monaco and were also doubles partners in Toronto as well this week, albeit only for one match when they were defeated in the opening round. 
After the match had ended, de Minaur shared the following message on court with Sinner when handed his runner-up trophy, “I would like to start off by saying a huge congrats to you and to your whole team. You deserve it. The way you carry yourself on the court and off the court I have tremendous respect for you. It was a great battle. We started as doubles partners, it didn’t go so well in the doubles but we both made it to the finals, so congratulations to you and the team.”<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/L4fxLF09qs8" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>Sinner spoke about what the week meant for him and thanked his team for their support in getting him to the biggest moment of his young career. 
“I’m very, very happy to share this moment with all of you guys and all the people who are around me every day, believing in me, we’re working very hard to change the situation.”
Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/sinner-de-minaur-both-seek-first-masters-1000-title-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sinner, de Minaur Both Seek First Masters 1000 Title in Toronto</a>
He then shared a little about how he plans to celebrate the victory, with a round of golf on Monday. “Daren still has to show me a little bit of the golf skills because I’m very bad at golf, we will do this tomorrow!”
Sinner came into the match with a heavily slanted 4-0 head-to-head advantage over de Minaur which now improves to 5-0. The Italian is the youngest winner of the NBO at 21 years of age since Alexander Zverev who was 20 when he won the event in Montreal back in 2017. He’ll move up to No. 6 in the ATP rankings on Monday and with his impressive play here in Toronto be absolutely considered one of the favourites at the US Open next month. 
Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/de-minaur-continues-roll-national-bank-open-final" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">De Minaur Continues to Roll into National Bank Open Final</a>
That’s a wrap from the 2023 National Bank Open Presented by Rogers that saw over 175,000 people swarm Sobeys Stadium for some electric live tennis action over the past week. Next year the WTA returns in what should also be a fantastic opportunity to showcase the best that women’s tennis has to offer. <h3>Arevalo and Rojer Claim Doubles Title </h3>
The doubles final was the first match on Centre Court and featured third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury taking on the unseeded duo of Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer. As is so often the case, all of the competitors were over the age of 30, showing how much intelligence and experience are necessary to navigate the intricacies of the doubles game. 
Today’s match, however, was controlled from the beginning by the Arevalo/Rojer duo. In the opening set they broke the Salisbury serve for a 3-1 lead and never looked back. <figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0iyuFgL3YfA" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>It was a windy day on Centre Court and they seemed to be far less bothered by it than their opponents. With Rojer serving later in the opening frame while leading 5-3, he launched a 199 kph unreturnable serve to go up 40-30. On the next point, Rojer made a huge forehand volley to take the opening set with his partner in just 30 minutes. 
Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/paul-stuns-alcaraz-canada-second-straight-year" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paul Stuns Alcaraz in Canada for the Second Straight Year</a>
Arevalo and Rojer had far more energy than their opponents today and their communication throughout the match was far more regular and positive as well. They seemed to feed off each other’s emotions as they quickly progressed towards the finish line. 
In the second set, there were two quick breaks of serve and suddenly Arevalo and Rojer led 6-3, 4-0 and it seemed inevitable that they had the match. A final break a couple of games later and we had new NBO champions as Arevalo and Rojer hoisted the trophy. 
It marks a third ATP final of 2023 for the duo and a third title as well after victories in Adelaide and Delray Beach. Prior to the NBO, they were ranked 21st on the ATP but now jump up to No. 7 following their big Masters 1000 victory.

Cashmere

Cashmere Wrap: Sinner the Winner of First Masters 1000 Title in Toronto

In the first match of the day on Centre Court, doubles took to the show court for the first time this week at the NBO. Marcelo Arevalo and Jean Julien Rojer advanced to the final with a 6-3, 3-6, [10-5] victory over the seventh-seeded tandem of Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.
This was a big win for the unseeded duo as Granollers and Zeballos had recently played in the finals at Wimbledon and were coming in hot. There was a sizeable crowd on hand to catch the match and the fans were right into the fast-paced action. <figure style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;text-align:center;width:656px;max-width:656px;"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_default/11987020/Arevalo-Rojer-NBO-2023-Tyler-Anderson.webp" width="656" height="500" alt="" /><figcaption style="text-align:center;">Photo : Tyler Anderson</figcaption></figure>The first singles semifinal did not go quite according to expectations, as Alex de Minaur seized the moment and<a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/de-minaur-continues-roll-national-bank-open-final" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> dispatched of fellow unseeded player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1, 6-3</a> in an hour and seventeen minutes.
Both players had their service games affected by the strong winds that descended on Centre Court, although Davidovich Fokina struggled mightily being broken in seven of his eight service games in the match. 
De Minaur advances to the first Masters 1000 level final of his career where he will await the winner of tonight’s second singles match between seventh seed Jannik Sinner and 12th seed Tommy Paul.
On court with Sportsnet’s Arash Madani following the victory, de Minaur joked that, “The way I see it, I might have to become Canadian!” He went further by adding, “I’m having a great week but I’m not done yet.”<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/i-c12BozncU" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>In the night session, it was a heavyweight tilt between two established doubles teams. Third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury defeated the sixth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4, 6-4. Krawietz and Puetz were just coming off their home title at the German Open, while Ram and Salisbury last won a title in May in Lyon. 
Next up were the last two seeded players left in the singles draw, Jannik Sinner and Tommy Paul, who were going to do battle for the last remaining spot in the final and a chance to face de Minaur on Sunday. Their head-to-head coming in stood at 1-1, with Sinner taking their first encounter on clay in Madrid in 2022 and Paul grabbing the follow-up later that year on the grass of Eastbourne. 
Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/paul-stuns-alcaraz-canada-second-straight-year" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paul Stuns Alcaraz in Canada for the Second Straight Year</a>
The pair traded breaks in the early goings of the match before Sinner was able to strike the decisive blow with the American serving at 4-5 in the first set. Sinner then broke to go up 3-1 in the second set. 
Later while serving at 4-2, 30-40, Sinner staved off being broken by winning an epic 46-shot rally, the longest of the tournament to date. 
Asked after the match what was going through his mind as he caught his breath from the exchange and Sinner replied, “I was hoping my physical trainer was happy with that!”<figure style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;text-align:center;width:701px;max-width:701px;"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_default/11993058/Jannik-Sinner-NBO-2023-Peter-Power-2.webp" width="701" height="539" style="width:701px;max-width:701px;height:539px;" alt="" /><figcaption style="text-align:center;">Photo : Peter Power</figcaption></figure>It looked as though Sinner was going to run away with the match but Paul had other ideas and broke the Italian when he was serving for it at 5-3. Sinner admitted later that nerves got the better of him in that moment and caused him to tense up. 
Instead of consolidating on the break and evening the set-up however, Paul badly missed a backhand volley to get down 15-40 in his ensuing service game. While he would win the next two points to get to deuce, Sinner took what was left and Paul ultimately sent a forehand long that brought the match to a close. 
Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/alex-de-minaur-shows-heart-grind-past-medvedev-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alex de Minaur Shows Heart to Grind Past Medvedev in Toronto</a>
“You helped me today, especially when I was in tough moments. Hopefully tomorrow is going to be a very positive thing,” said Sinner to the crowd on court following the match. 
Sinner will be the heavy favourite against Alex de Minaur in the final, Sunday at 4pm ET. The seventh seed owns a 4-0 career head-to-head against his Aussie opponent, who oddly enough was his doubles partner earlier in the week at the NBO. Any friendship that exists between them will no doubt be put on hold for this upcoming battle between two talented players of vastly different skill sets. It will be the firepower of Sinner against the hustle of De Minaur, which offers all kinds of possibilities for tomorrow. 
<h3>Around the grounds</h3>
Just because a player has been knocked out of the tournament doesn’t mean they aren’t still hanging around Toronto. 
<a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/semifinal-saturday-live-blog-follow-results-toronto-semis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Follow the Results for the Toronto Semis</a>
No. 3 seed Casper Ruud fell on Thursday in the round of sixteen to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina but is still here and working on his game in preparation for the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati beginning Monday. 
<figure style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;text-align:center;width:699px;max-width:699px;"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_default/11985942/DSC03809-2.webp" width="699" height="653" alt="" /><figcaption style="text-align:center;">Photo : Mike McIntyre</figcaption></figure>I caught a light-hearted moment at the end of his practice session this morning where he was playing a quick game of kick-ball with his squad. Professional tennis players are known for their sharp hand-eye coordination and this definitely proved that they’ve got their feet working just as efficiently. 
One area of the tournament that I had wanted to visit all week long (but had yet to muster the courage) was the 407 ETR Fastest Serve cage. Not wanting to display my skills (or lack thereof) in front of a big crowd, I made sure to go when the venue opened this morning to see how much I had picked-up from covering Milos Raonic this week. 
<figure style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;text-align:center;width:547px;max-width:547px;"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_default/11986730/image_67210753.webp" width="547" height="729" alt="" /><figcaption style="text-align:center;">Photo : Mike McIntyre</figcaption></figure>While I might have only topped out at 119kph, at least I can say that for the briefest of moments I was No. 1 for the day. Check it out if you have the chance located towards the far end of the grounds near the Grandstand. It will either give your tennis game the confidence boost it needs or, as in my case, provide you with some humble pie that will encourage you to hit the practice courts this week!

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