Montreal Match “Shark Bites”: Previewing Sunday’s Remaining Fourth Round Matches

Here’s a closer look at the feature matches on the schedule courtesy of renowned ATP stats and information guru, Greg Sharko.

Tallon Griekspoor (NED) vs Daniel Merida (ESP) – This is a first-time meeting and both players have dropped two sets in their first three matches at the NBO.  The Dutchman has come back from a set down in his last two wins, including a second round victory over World No. 3 Alexander Zverev. He is trying to advance to his second career ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal and become the first Dutchman to reach the QFs at the NBO since Robin Haase in 2018. Haase, Richard Krajicek and Tom Okker are the other Dutchmen to advance to the NBO quarterfinals or better in the Open Era. Prior to Montreal, he had a 2-10 record since March after opening the first two months with a 7-6 mark, highlighted by a runner-up in Dubai. The 21-year-old Merida is playing his first season on the ATP Tour and coming into Montreal he had a career tour-level record of 0-1 on hard courts.  The No. 63-ranked Spaniard has compiled a 15-7 tour-level record (11-5 on clay) this season and is going to break into the Top 50 after the tournament. Last month he captured his first ATP Tour title in Umag and earlier this year was runner-up in Bucharest. One of three Spaniards 21 & under on the rise in the ATP Rankings along with 19-year-old Rafael Jodar (No. 15) and 20-year-old Martin Landaluce (No. 64).

READ: Fonseca’s forehand flies but his feet are ‘on the ground’ at NBO

[12] Learner Tien (USA) vs Thiago Agustin Tirante (ARG) – This is also a first-time meeting between the American and Argentine. Tien is appearing in the Round of 16 at the NBO for the second straight year and he is the youngest player to reach the Round of 16 in Canda in back-to-back years since Shapovalov in 2017-18. He is the youngest of 14 Americans in the Top 100 and one of three Americans in the Round of 16 (Nakashima, Shelton). Has dropped one set in his first two wins in the tournament and is looking to advance to his second career Masters 1000 quarterfinal. In March, he reached the QFs in Indian Wells. In first Grand Slam event of the season at Australian Open, reached the quarterfinals. Prior to Roland-Garros, won his second career ATP Tour title in Geneva. Coached by former World No. 2 and 1990 NBO champion, Michael Chang. Tirante has been one of the surprises to reach the Round of 16, only dropping one set along the way while posting wins over Taylor Fritz and 2024 NBO winner Alexei Popyrin. The 25-year-old Argentine came into Montreal with a 3-3 record on hard courts this season before putting together three straight wins. Ranked No. 65 and one of 10 Argentines in the Top 100. He is projected to break into the Top 50 after the NBO. He’s trying to reach his first career Masters 1000 quarterfinal and become the first Argentine to advance to the NBO quarterfinals since Diego Schwartzman in 2017. Overall has a 22-12 record this season with a best result of semifinals in Houston.

[22] Joao Fonseca (BRA) vs [5] Ben Shelton (USA) – In their only previous meeting in May, the American prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, in the quarterfinals of Munich and he went on to capture the title. Both have yet to drop a set in their first two matches. Shelton is the highest seed remaining in the draw and the lone Top 10 seed still left. Shelton has won a personal-best three ATP Tour titles this season on as many surfaces – Dallas (hard), Munich (clay) and Stuttgart (grass).  Came into Montreal with an 1-4 record in Masters 1000 play this season and has turned things around with his two wins so far. The 19-year-old Fonseca is trying to become the first player from his country to reach the quarterfinals at the NBO since former World No. 1 and Hall-of-Famer Gustavo Kuerten in 1997 who reached the final that year.  In June at Roland-Garros, he rallied from two sets down to defeat Novak Djokovic, becoming the first teenager to defeat the Serb at a Grand Slam tournament, en route to the quarterfinals.

Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) vs [13] Jakub Mensik (CZE) – This is another first-time meeting between the Dutch No. 2 and Czechia No. 2. The Dutchman defeated Daniil Medvedev in 2R for his ninth career Top 10 victory. He is looking to reach his first career Masters 1000 quarterfinal. With countryman Griekspoor in the Round of 16, this marks the second time multiple Dutchmen have reached the fourth round in a Masters 1000 tournament this century. This same Dutch duo accomplished the feat in 2023 Paris. In 2024, posted upsets over Alcaraz in US Open 2R for biggest win of career and Nadal in Davis Cup Final to end former World No. 1’s career and help the Netherlands advance to a first Davis Cup final in history. The 20-year-old Mensik is appearing in an ATP Masters 1000 4R for second time in fifth event played at this level in 2026. He is a former World No. 2 junior and earned career-high No. 12 in March 2026 after defeating Jannik Sinner for biggest win of career to reach Doha SF. He defeated six-time champion Djokovic in 2025 Miami final to become the fourth man in series history (since 1990) to win his first ATP Tour title at a Masters 1000 event and he was also the first Czechia ATP Masters 1000 champion since Tomas Berdych in 2005. Also advanced to 2026 Roland Garros SF, becoming youngest Czechia men's Grand Slam semi-finalist in history.

Photos: Amélie Caron & Mathieu Bélanger / Tennis Canada