Sweet 16 at NBO features Masters 1000 winners, some who came close and others getting their feet wet

Who will do it? We’ll find out in the next week. 

But how have the 16 players remaining in Montreal done at the  Masters 1000 level? Let’s find out. 

Been there, done that

Ben Shelton, Jakub Mensik and Cameron Norrie are the three left who have won a Masters 1000 shield, all doing it once. 

Norrie was the first one, in 2021 in the fall edition of Indian Wells. Typical of Norrie — given his supreme endurance — he won four three-setters. But he never faced a match point — unlike this week at the NBO when he stared at one against third seed Alex de Minaur in the third round.  

Mensik became the fifth youngest Masters winner when he won in Miami last year at the age of 19. Who did the huge server beat in the final? Only the 24-time Grand Slam winner, Novak Djokovic, who is his idol. 

READ: Fonseca makes it two in a row at NBO over Grand Slam finalists, gets Shelton next

Shelton is the defending NBO champ. Norrie’s fellow lefty prevailed in Toronto after winning three third-set tiebreakers during his run. The American has had it easier so far in Montreal, not losing a set. 

Beaten at the last step 

Arthur Rinderknech and Jiri Lehecka have almost won a Masters title, both previously making a final. Not many will forget Rinderknech’s foray at the Shanghai Masters last year, since the Frenchman met his cousin, Valentin Vacherot, in the finale. 

Lehecka finished as the runner up in Miami this year. Unfortunately for Lehecka — who is now working with Félix Auger-Aliassime’s former coach, Frederic Fontang — he came up against Jannik Sinner. 

Close to a final 

Luciano Darderi and Arthur Fils have found themselves in semfinals. Darderi achieved it in Rome in May, pulling off one of best career wins by topping Alexander Zverev, saving four match points in the process. 

Fils has had numerous injury problems in his young career but despite those stops and starts, he continues to post impressive results. Rinderknech’s countryman made both of his Masters semifinals this year, in Miami and Madrid. 

Making the quarter-finals

Four players would match their Masters best by making the quarterfinals at the NBO — Rafael Jodar, Joao Fonseca, Learner Tien and Tallon Griekspoor.

Of the quartet, the 19-year-old Jodar is the only one with multiple quarterfinals under his belt, both this year in Madrid and Rome. The 19-year-old is part of the younger brigade on tour, alongside Fonseca and Tien. 

Griekspoor, 30, made his lone quarterfinal in Indian Wells last year. He beat Zverev in a thriller in the desert — and downed the top-seeded German at this NBO. 

More fourth rounds 

By reaching the fourth round, Thiago Tirante, Nuno Borges, Brandon Nakashima and Botic van de Zandschulp have all matched career bests. Nakashima will be looking to get over the hump in Montreal, going 0-for-5 so far in the Round of 16. His first ever fourth round appearance was in Montreal in 2024. 

Tirante is in the midst of a breakthrough season. The former junior No. 1 from Argentina should crack the Top 50 in the rankings when the NBO is done. 

If van de Zandschulp beats Mensik, the quarterfinal milestone would add to the massive wins in his career — think Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev. Like Norrie, he saved match points to get to round four. 

The newbie

Daniel Merida is making his debut in the fourth round. The 21-year-old’s previous best showing was a third round at home in Madrid. Like Tirante, he should find himself in the Top 50 for the first time when the tournament concludes. 

Photo: Fabrice Michel/Tennis Canada