Montreal Match “Shark Bites”: What to Watch for on Monday at the NBO

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

Centre Court

• [WC] Alexis Galarneau vs. Vit Kopriva – This is a first-time meeting between the Canadian wild card and Czechia No. 4. Both players are appearing in the NBO main draw for the second straight year. Galarneau reached the second round in Toronto while Kopriva lost in the first round last year. The winner of this match will face No. 8 seed Jiri Lehecka, who is the top Czechia player on the ATP Tour ranked No. 12.
   

• [WC] Gabriel Diallo vs. [Q] Kyrian Jacquet – This is a first-time meeting between the Canadian No. 3 and French qualifier. Diallo reached the third round in Toronto last year in his third career NBO main draw while Jacquet is making his tournament debut. The No. 99-ranked Diallo is one of six Canadians in the main draw and Jacquet is one of a co-tournament high 13 Frenchmen (also the U.S.) in the draw.

  

   

• Terence Atmane vs. [WC] Jack Draper  – The left-handers are meeting for the first time. The British wild card is making his first ATP Tour appearance since Eastbourne in June when he advanced to the semifinals). He then withdrew from Wimbledon and Washington due to arm injuries. Draper is 8-5 on the season and ranked No. 147 after reaching a career-high No. 4 in June last year. Atmane broke through to reach his first Masters 1000 semifinal in Cincinnati last year as a qualifier and reached a career-high ranking of No. 41 in April this season.
   
• Kamil Majchrzak vs. [WC] Gael Monfils – This is the first meeting between the two and the winner will take on young American No. 12 seed Learner Tien in the second round. The 39-year-old Frenchman and former World No. 6 is making his final appearance in Canada and he is a two-time NBO semifinalist (2016, 2019). Majchrzak is making his tournament main draw debut.  In June, Majchrzak won his first ATP Tour title in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and cracked the Top 50 with a career-high No. 45 ranking on June 29.
   
• [Q] Martin Damm vs. [Q] Stefanos Tsitsipas – This is a first-time meeting between the two qualifiers. The 22-year-old Damm broke into the Top 100 for the first time after qualifying in Washington last week. He is one of a co-tournament high 13 Americans in the main draw (along with France). His father, Martin, is a 40-time tour-level doubles titlist, including the US Open in 2006 and runner-up at 2006 Australian Open (both w/Paes). Tsitsipas, who reached the final in Toronto in 2018, qualified into an ATP Tour tournament for the first time since 2018. The former World No. 3 is coming off his 13th career ATP Tour title in Gstaad last month.

Rogers Court

• Matteo Berrettini vs. Mariano Navone – The Italian won both previous meetings on clay in the semifinals of 2024 Marrakech and first round at 2025 Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo. The winner will face No. 14 seed Valentin Vacherot in the second round. Berrettini is appearing in the NBO for the first time since 2023 after missing the previous two years with injuries. Navone’s only previous Canadian showing was two years ago when he lost in the first round. Berrettini is a former World No. 6 and this year he advanced to the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros where he retired with a hip injury. Navone is one of four Argentines in the Top 50 and in April captured his first career ATP Tour title in Bucharest.
   
• Daniel Merida vs. [WC] Liam Draxl – This is the first meeting between the Canadian wild card and Spaniard. Draxl made his NBO main draw debut last year and lost in the first round. The 21-year-old Merida is one of three young Spaniards (21-under) making their tournament debut along with No. 20 seed Rafael Jodar (19) and Martin Landaluce (20). All three were ranked outside the Top 100 at this time last year and now are in the Top 65. Merida captured his first ATP Tour title two weeks ago in Umag.
   
• Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Valentin Royer – This is the first meeting between the Spaniard and Frenchman. Carreno Busta is one of four former NBO champions in the draw and he lifted his biggest career trophy in Montreal in 2022, which was also his last ATP Tour title. Carreno Busta (36) is the oldest of five Spaniards in the main draw. Royer is looking to turn his season around after struggling with a 3-16 tour-level match record.

Photos: Pascal Ratthé