Elena Rybakina rallied from a set down to defeat Dayana Yastremska on Saturday at the Omnium Banque Nationale, holding off the Ukrainian 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 to set a quarterfinal with Marta Kostyuk.
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Rybakina, seeded ninth and ranked No.12, had to work for it after she squandered a break lead in the opening set and was broken while serving to stay in it, in the twelfth game.
Rybakina đ€ Montreal QFs
Elena Rybakina regroups to fight past Yastremska 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 for a place in the quarterfinals!#OBN25pic.twitter.com/ys0HoYzp7M
Andrey Rublev has certainly raised his level compared to recent months and his new collaboration with Marat Safin is helping him to find good feelings in view of the US Open scheduled for the end of the summer. The Russian ace had already put in a series of good performances during the Wimbledon Championships, where he had also put world number 2 Carlos Alcaraz in trouble by losing in four sets in the round of 16.
The player from Moscow also reached the round of 16 at the Toronto Masters 1000, after defeating Hugo Gaston in his debut and Italian star Lorenzo Sonego in the third round. Andrey – who reached the final in Montreal last year – made an excellent comeback against Sonego showing that he has recovered mental strength, but further tests will be needed to understand the real consistency of the Russian.
His next opponent will be Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who is playing very well at the moment and has no intention of stopping there. Rublev occupies the 11th position in the ATP ranking at the moment, but he is very close to the tenth position held by Lorenzo Musetti (who has already been eliminated by Alex Michelsen) and will overtake him by passing the next round.
Rublev does not like these courts
Meanwhile, the former Top 10 player gave a long interview to 'Tennis Channel' in which he highlighted how these courts leave little room for tactics and strategy.
As a spectator, I enjoy watching tennis on slower courts a lot more," the Russian champion revealed. "A lot of people think of Wimbledon courts as quite fast, but grass is a surface that allows you to play longer rallies and make the transition from defense to attack. There is more room for strategy and you can change tactics in relation to the score. It takes more intelligence and athletic fitness to prevail on those fields.
The situation is very different on hard courts. I watched the match between Medvedev and Popyrin and there were very few rallies from baseline. Although Daniil was in action, the point ended with the serve and another shot in most cases."
Ben Shelton had to dig deep in the third round of the Canada Masters in Toronto. The 4th seed faced his compatriot Brandon Nakashima and prevailed 6-7, 6-2, 7-6 in two hours and 36 minutes for a place in the last 16.
World no. 7 squandered set points and dropped a tight opener. Ben took charge and dominated the second set before erasing the deficit early in the third. Brandon saved two match points on serve at 4-5 before a left-hander sealed the deal in the tie break.
Shelton fired 19 aces and eight double faults. The better-ranked player struggled behind the second serve but denied three of four break points. He clinched three breaks and prevailed in the closing stages to remain on the title course.
Ben went for his shots and landed 46 winners and 47 unforced errors. Nakashima stayed on a 19-30 ratio and struggled to follow the opponent's 46 unreturned serves. They stayed neck and neck from the baseline and at the net.
Both players served well in the opening set, providing 12 fine holds and embracing a thrilling tie break. There were only two mini-breaks in the opening 17 points, which we do not see very often.
Brandon denied a set point at 5-6 with a volley winner at the net and earned a set point at 7-6. Shelton saved it with a booming ace and landed a forehand winner for a set point.
Nakashima saved it with a service winner for 8-8 and earned his second set point. Shelton sprayed a backhand error in the 18th point, losing the opener after 59 minutes.
World no. 7 saved two break points in the second set and kept the pressure on the other side. He provided an early break in the second game and another at 5-2 after the rival's backhand error, closing the set and forcing a decider after an hour and 37 minutes.
Nakashima opened it with a break before losing serve in he fourth game after a forced error. Brandon made another push on the return at 3-3 and landed a volley winner for a break chance.
Ben denied it with a powerful serve and held to remain on the positive side. Nakashima faced the ultimate test at 4-5 after playing against two match points. He saved them and held for 5-5 and more drama.
The set went into a tie break, and Shelton provided three mini-breaks in the first seven points, forging a 5-2 advantage with a volley winner at the net. He generated three match points and seized the last with an unreturned serve.
It’s just about time for Jessica Pegula to return to the scene of her first major final. The World No.4 would like to head to the 2025 US Open with a little wind beneath her wings, but at the moment she can’t seem to get her feet off the ground.
The Buffalo native produced another head-scratching effort against 386-ranked Anastasija Sevastova on Friday in Montreal, dropping 12 of the final 15 games to make it just one win in four matches since the start of Wimbledon.
“It hasn’t been great, to be honest. I don’t really feel like I’m playing great tennis.”
— Jessica Pegula
Pegula was the two-time defending champion in Canada this week, but could not summon the confidence that took her to titles in Montreal in 2023 and Toronto last year.
For Pegula, who played and lost the final to Aryna Sabalenka at the US Open last year, it simply isn’t good enough.
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“It hasn’t been great, to be honest,” the 31-year-old said on Friday in Montreal. “I don’t really feel like I’m playing great tennis. At times I am, but I feel very up and down, kind of sloppy, which I don’t like. It really bothers me. I’m kind of a perfectionist, so I don’t like having to say that.
“I feel like I’ve gone through phases in my career, a few tournaments, where I feel like that sometimes, and you have to figure out how to get out of it and not feel sorry for yourself or make excuses. I’ve got figure it out.”
Pegula still has time to right the ship. She’ll head to the Cincinnati Open next week, hoping to build momentum ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year.
She believes she needs to be a better problem solver, starting now.
“You have to do it in those moments in matches where you’re in that moment where you have to compete and figure things out,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve been able to do it great the last couple of matches, so hopefully going into Cincy I think that’s definitely going to be my main focus every single match is focusing on those big points and those big games because I do think I am playing some good tennis to get up in these matches, and there’s times where I’m reeling off six, seven really good games, and then it kind of falls away.
“So I’ve got to figure out how to kind of sustain that higher level against these good players.”
Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek continues to ride the hot hand on the North American hard courts. The six-time major champion hammered past Eva Lys of Germany on Friday night in Montreal, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the round of 16.
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The 24-year-old Pole has dropped just eight games through two rounds at the Omnium Banque Nationale, and will face 16th-seeded Clara Tauson next.
Swiatek has now won nine matches on the trot, dating back to the start of her Wimbledon title run. She is bidding for her 13th career hard court title this week in Montreal, and her first since Indian Wells in 2024.
Swiatek improves to 43-12 on the season with her win.
This June, Carlos Alcaraz claimed his fifth Major title at Roland Garros. The 22-year-old scored a memorable 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 victory over world no. 1 Jannik Sinner after a massive turnaround and three match points saved.
Carlos revisited one of his career-high victories in a clash that will be remembered for its breathtaking twists and turns. The Spaniard dropped the opening two sets and faced three match points in the ninth game of the fourth set.
Facing the exit door, Alcaraz relied on unwavering belief and mental fortitude that brought him tennis glory. The young gun focused on winning one point at a time while steadily climbing back.
Carlos knew that closing out a Major final can weigh heavily on any player, even someone composed and monolith one as Jannik. For the El Palmar native, it was crucial not to show any cracks despite the obvious struggle.
The 22-year-old raised above the challenge and projected total self-confidence, understanding that even the slightest hint of weakness could end his title dreams against a formidable opponent.
His refusal to panic slowly turned the tide, propelling him to one of the most remarkable comebacks in Major finals. The victory cemented Carlos' status as one of tennis' fiercest competitors.
It also proved his incredible mental strength, the one that matches his physical prowess.
"I simply thought about coming back little by little: one point at a time, especially on those three match points. Closing a Major title is never easy, and I knew I would have my chances.
I knew things would not be easy for Jannik. That's how I remained calm and focused. It was also a bit of the image of self-confidence I wanted to share.
I did not doubt that I could come back for a second, and I tried to show that to my rival. As soon as you show weakness, there's no chance of coming back – you are lost," Carlos Alcaraz said.
Carlos Alcaraz is the five-time Major champion at 22. The El Palmar's early success has drawn inevitable comparisons to his great compatriot and idol, Rafael Nadal.
Yet, the young gun is determined to forge his own identity, following that path since his arrival on the Tour. Frequently hailed as Nadal's heir, Alcaraz is grateful for the admiration but refuses to embrace that narrative.
Carlos does not want to see himself as Rafa's successor. He reflected on the great rivalries and great players we had in the past. However, he does not feel obligated to use the same path and mirror what they did.
Carlos after he won his doubles match with Rafa Nadal at the Olympics:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 28, 2024
While respectful of the legacy forged by Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Carlos emphasized the importance of self-belief and individuality.
The young gun is defending his ideas and philosophy, using it as a defensive mechanism against pressure. As he adds more trophies to his growing collection, Alcaraz remains focused on building a legacy that is entirely his own.
The Spaniard has been the player to beat since April. The 22-year-old has embraced six consecutive finals, conquering Monte Carlo, Rome, Roland Garros and Queen's while falling in the Wimbledon final to Jannik Sinner.
The El Palmar native took a couple of weeks off the court after losing his first Major final in London. He withdrew from Toronto and hit the practice court ahead of his next stop.
It's next week's Cincinnati Masters, his final preparation for the US Open. Carlos' goals? Another Major trophy in New York and the ATP throne taken from Jannik Sinner!
"I do not want to be seen as Rafa's successor. Tennis has always had great rivalries and great players. It's a privilege that people watch our matches in this way, with such enthusiasm.
In the end, we have no obligation to do what they did, far from it. If you do not defend your ideals and aspirations, that pressure can consume you. You have to know how to differentiate.
We try not to think about the pressure and, above all, to do as they did," Carlos Alcaraz said.
By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 1, 2025 Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
Nick Kyrgios’ next career could see him pushing buttons.
In an interview at the Esports World Cup 2025, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this week, Kyrgios confessed his first sports love was not tennis.
Instead, he favored gaming and basketball.
“My passion was basketball and gaming,â said Kyrgios, sporting a black Call of Duty t-shirt during his interview. âTo be thrown into a sport where tennis is very clean cut. You know, Iâm very rough around the edges and I didnât really fit the mold for a tennis player. And I really struggled with that early in my career.â
The devoted Boston Celtics fans said he’s spent hours playing Fortnite and Call of Duty. Kyrgios said his gaming compulsion often came at the expense of tennis training and tournament play on the ATP Tour.
The former Australian Open doubles champion said he’s dream of being a professional gamer.
“I would love to be [an esports] player,” Kyrgios said. “Iâve been criticized in my career for not putting enough time on the court. And Iâve missed tournaments and training because Iâve just been gaming purely because I love it and I donât care.
“The thing about it is like esports continue to grow. You know, itâs always going to evolve, technologyâs going to get better, a new gameâs going to come out.”
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist shared he dropped “F-Bombs” in front of the Royal Box during his four-set loss to Novak Djokovic, but vowed he’s not going to change his style to fit traditional tennis norms.
âAnd now it seems Iâm a bit more embraced. And Iâm glad Iâm able to put on a show,” Kyrgios said. “You know, when I played in front of the Royal Box at Wimbledon, I was throwing F-BombsâŠ
“But look, itâs been a struggle to kind of fit in. But you know now I kind of embrace it. Iâm not going to change for anyone and it took me all the way here, so it paid off.”
By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 1, 2025 Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
Novak Djokovic is kicking in a new investment.
The Grand Slam king has invested in the Le Mans football (soccer) team, Le Mans FC announced today.
Former world No. 1 Djokovic joins Georgios Frangulis, the Brazilian businessman owner of Oakberry best known to tennis fans as Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend, former Formula 1 drivers Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen and South American sports investment firm OutField as new investors in Le Mans FC.
“Novak Djokovic, tennis legend and the most successful player in history, whose mental strength and unique approach will add considerable value,” Thierry Gomez, Le Mans FC owner and president said in a statement.
“We have to be aware that the economic model of football has changed, with a tightening of the elite and the arrival of new investors,” Le Mans FC owner Gomez said. “To exist in this new context and hope to continue to grow, we have no choice but to adapt, because our ambition remains the same: to fill the stadium and share beautiful emotions together, like in our last match against Versailles.
“That’s why I’m pleased today to announce the arrival of our new financial partner: OutField, the leader in sports investment in Latin America, and Georgios Frangulis, founder and CEO of OakBerry. They have the particularity of being a Brazilian investment fund. You know my love for the game… and who better than the Brazilian team symbolizes, in the world of football, the beautiful game?
“The particularity of this fund also lies in its contribution to high-level athletes. Thus, Novak Djokovic, Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen will be part of the adventure.”
Djokovic, who comes from a family of champion skiers, is also a skilled soccer and basketball player. He’s shared his soccer skills both in pick-up games with fellow pros on the Indian Wells grass and in charity football matches.
The 38-year-old Serbian superstar is also good friends with WTA world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis. During Wimbledon, Sabalenka shared Djokovic has given her advice on coping with the pressures of world No. 1.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion jokingly jabbed Sabalenka in an Instagram post yesterday as he reposted images from his GQ phot shoot captioned “this is how you strike a pose Aryna Sabalenka.”
Alexander Zverev has had a difficult season in 2025, but if we take a step back and look at the body of work of the German, we can see that he’s in the process of putting together a legendary career.
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On Thursday in Toronto the 28-year-old became the fifth active player to record 500 ATP wins with his 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 over Matteo Arnaldi at the National Back Open.
Zverev is the fifth active player to have reached the mark, joining:
Novak Djokovic (1,150)
Marin Cilic (593)
Gael Monfils (583)
Stan Wawrinka (580)
And he’s the third German man to hit 500 wins, along with Boris Becker (713) and Tommy Haas (569).
Alexander Zverev joining an elite group đ
he becomes the first man born in 1990 or later to record 500 tour-level wins! pic.twitter.com/WzQGsYTyIK
Anastasija Sevastova flipped the script and bounced two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula from the draw on Friday in Montreal, the new mother notching her first Top-10 win since 2020, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
The victory is Sevastova’s first Top-5 win since she defeated then-third-ranked Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals at the 2018 US Open.
The 386-ranked Latvian is appearing in Montreal for the first time since 2021 due to maternity leave and an ACL tear to her left knee early in her comeback.
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Today the 35-year-old rallied back for her second career win over Pegula, winning 12 of the final 15 games to book her spot in the round of 16 alongside Naomi Osaka.
Earlier on Friday Osaka raced past Jelena Ostapenko, 6-2, 6-4.
“It was tough in the first set,” the former World No.11 said. “I didn’t think I played that great. I was down 2-0 in the second set and I started playing better and better. In the third set I played really well.
“Mentally just finding my game in the second set, just trying to stay on court as long as possible, and fighting for every point.”
Pegula, ranked fourth, has now lost three of four since the start of Wimbledon. She drops to 36-14 on the year.
By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, July 31, 2025 Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
The Montreal service line loomed like a fault line and Coco Gauff was blowing herself up.
The top-seeded Gauff coughed up 14 double faults but turned an early implosion into an inspirational ending playing her most dynamic tennis in the final set.
Gauff shook off a seven game spiral, surging back to score a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory over Veronika Kudermetova to battle into the Montreal round of 16 today.
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Down a set and a break, Roland Garros champion Gauff successfully fought off her own sloppy serving and shotmaker Kudermetova and will face either Canadian wild card Victoria Mboko or Czech Marie Bouzkova for a quarterfinal spot.
âI mean the goal is to survive and advanceâwe all know itâs not my best but itâs good enough for today,â Gauff said. âMentally, Iâm very proud of myself. Thereâs obviously parts of my game Iâm working on, one of them being the serveâŠI look forward to the future when Iâm feeling my best hopeful itâs a little bit easier.â
Through two rounds, Gauff has clanked an unsightly 37 double faults yet sheâs reinforced her reputation for resilience raising her 2025 three-set record to 9-1 today.
The two-time Grand Slam champion has the ability to compartmentalize serve struggles, shirk stretches of shoddy play and fight furiously with the match on the line. The question is: Can Gauff pick up her serving as she progresses, and the competition intensifies? The good news, Gauff said, is she’s finding ways to win with her service game “on a crutch.”
“I mean, there’s positives and there’s negatives,” Gauff told the media in Montreal. “Obviously I am so disappointed in myself when it comes to that part of the game just because I didn’t play D.C. to work on that and made changes to that and doing well in practice and serving really well in practice. Yeah, so I just would like for it to transfer to the match.
“It does give positives that, okay, I’m winning these matches having literally like one part of my game on a crutch. So it’s like if I can stand on both feet, then I can only imagine that it would be a lot more straightforward and a lot more easier for me.”
Gauff committed 23 double faultsânearly a full set of doublesâin her opener vs. Danielle Collins yet still squeezed out a 7-5, 4-6 7-6(2) victory relying on her grit and legs to get it done in two hours, 56 minutes.
The normally feisty Collinsâ continuously dropping her Tecnifibre racquet to the court in a show of physical frustration that certainly didnât help her cause. Gauff kept calm despite the deluge of double faults and dug out a third-set tiebreaker, improving to 11-2 lifetime in third-set tiebreakers.
Today, the world No. 2 jumped out to a 4-1 lead. Soon the double fault ghosts haunted Gauff again. Part of the problem today is Gauff sometimes chased her ball toss and was hitting a hybrid kick-slice serve in the opening set: She wasnât getting the pronation to bring the kick back down in the court but wasnât slicing the serve severely enough to control it either.
Three double faults in the ninth game saw Gauff gift the break and a 5-4 lead to Kudermetova. If youâre Gauffâor her coachesâyou might just want to hit some hard slice serves right into the body in those moments to sustain the racquet acceleration while getting enough net clearance to bring the ball down into the box.
Kudermetova cracked the wide serve on the deuce side to create space. When Kudermetova cranked an inside-out forehand winner she snatched the opening set exploiting seven double faults from Gauff.
From 1-4 down, Kudermetova tore through seven straight games building a 6-4, 2-0 lead.
Empowered by her run to the Wimbledon doubles championship earlier this month, Kudermetova held a break point to go up 4-1, but Gauff denied it. Gauff spun a forehand down the line followed by a backhand strike down the opposite sideline to hold for 2-3.
Striking her forehand with more conviction, Gauff drilled a diagonal forehand winner to break back and level six games into the second set.
Many players resort to the slice forehand when pushed wide on the stretch to extend the point. At times today, Gauff opted to hit slice forehands on balls right down the middle when she had time to set up and hit her traditional topspin forehand. You wonder why she doesnât take the short preparation steps, create space between her body and the ball and rip some of those forehands just to get her groove going on that wing.
Deadlocked at 5-all, the second set turned on a series of close calls. Gauff badly botched a forehand sitter from nearly right on top of the net choosing to slice her forehand rather than hit it to face a break point.
Surprising the Russian with the drop shot, Gauff got away with it when Kudermetova caught up to the ball but shoveled her forehand out. Given new life, Gauff hammered a wide ace then jolted her opponent backward with a body serve digging through a tough hold for 6-5.
Knowing Gauffâs backhand is her more stable wing, Kudermetova inexplicably played the Americanâs backhand wing and paid the price as Gauff gained double set point in the 12th game. Kudermetova saved the first set point, but again challenged the Gauff backhand and netted a high backhand volley.
Playing from behind for most of the set, a gritty Gauff broke to force a final set after one hour, 56 minutes.
You can question Gauffâs serve and her sometime flaky forehand, but she is unquestionably one of the toughest competitors on the WTA Tour. After scraping into a third set, Gauff elevated soaring through eight straight points to open the final set. Gauff slashed a forehand crosscourt winner extending to 3-0. Kudermetova, who was sometimes barking at her husband and coach Sergey Demekhine by then, rapidly ran out of answers.
Reading the Russianâs wide serve on the deuce side, Gauff hit some of her finest forehand returns in that final set. A match that saw Gauff dump 14 double faults ended with Kudermetova hitting her first double fault.
Watching Gauff through the first two rounds of Montreal is a bit like watching a sprinter stack her own lane with hurdles right before the race yet still manage to overcome all obstacles and cross the finish line first.
“My energy level is there. I’m not quite at the point where these matches tire me out physically,” Gauff said of winning successive three-setters. “Yeah, I was training in Florida for three weeks having, like, three-, three-and-a-half-hour practices, plus fitness in 90-degree weather with humidity. So it doesn’t feel as long as it is said, but I would love to get these matches under the two-hour mark, but if that’s what it takes, I’m here to be out here.”
Earlier, Marta Kostyuk rose from a dramatic fall out-dueling Daria Kasatkina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) in a match highlighted by one of the craziest points of the tournament.
Two points into the tiebreaker, Kostyuk slipped and fell behind the baseline, dropped her racquet, picked it up extended the point with a forehand and eventually won the point after climbing off the court.
Kostyuk converted seven of 11 break points and exploited 11 double faults from Kasatkina for her second straight three-set win.
The 24th-seeded Ukranian will face next American McCartney Kessler.
The 28th-seeded Kessler conquered fourth-seeded Mirra Andreeva 7-6(5), 6-4.
Pam Shriver is not ruling out the possibility of Emma Raducanu winning a Grand Slam once again as the 1978 US Open runner-up suggests that if a player has done it once, they certainly have the mindset to do it at least one more time.
How the British tennis player became a Grand Slam winner in a historic way and the criticism she faced after failing to keep up with the same level in the aftermath of her win is well-documented.
Last week, Raducanu came very close to making her first final of any sort since the 2022 US Open. Sadly for the 22-year-old, she fell just short in her bid after Anna Kalinskaya handed her a 6-4 6-3 loss in the Washington semifinal.
Overall, Raducanu is 23-15 this year and ranked at No. 33 in the world. Over the past year, the Briton has improved certain areas in her game – she has managed to stay healthier – and it is positively reflecting on her results. However, she still remains without a really big result or something that could propel her to the top of the game.
While Shriver – who has one Grand Slam final on her resume and multiple semifinals – acknowledges that Raducanu's results haven't been the best for the past four years, she still believes it is possible for the 22-year-old to lift a Grand Slam glory.
Shriver on Raducanu's future Slam chances
"Obviously, in the last say three and a half years, four years she’s kind of fallen back into kind of like a solid player with some good results during the year. But if you just took her resume, take that US Open out, that one tournament out, you would probably say no she’s not going to win one. She might have some quarterfinals, semifinals, but when you know that somebody’s had the mindset to do it once you always think sure, they can do it again," Shriver said on Talking Tennis.
Last year, Raducanu confidently said in one of her interviews that she was "going to win Wimbledon one day."
This year, the British tennis player had a third-round outings at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, while she exited the French Open in the second round.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has publicly criticized the ATP for what he sees as unfair and inconsiderate scheduling. The Spaniard expressed frustration after being assigned an 11:00 a.m. match at the Canada Masters in Toronto.
The recently-crowned top-20 player will open Friday's action alongside Jakub Mensik, an hour and a half earlier that all other matches that day, which are scheduled to begin at 12:30 or later!
Staying an hour away from the tournament venue, Alejandro emphasized the difficulty of preparing properly under such conditions. Davidovich Fokina's attempts to adjust the schedule were rejected.
La volea de todos los tiempos, cortesía de Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The ATP cited tickets, TV rights and other logistical factors that prevent them from changing the schedule. The Spaniard argued that player well-being continues to be ignored, stating they are not taken into consideration.
The Washington finalist pointed out the inconsistency in scheduling, highlighting that he and his rival have to start the match at 11:00 while there are many courts available to make the schedule more even and flexible.
In a strong closing lines of his statement, Alejandro claimed the ATP regularly makes empty promises to fix issues. However, they remain only on paper, as nothing ever changes.
His post offers a rare glimpse into the frustrations competitors face behind the scenes and major stadiums, admitting it's not as great at t looks from the outside!
Alejandro wasted three match points against Alex de Minaur in a heartbreaking Washington final. The Spaniard cracked the top-20 with those points and defeated Corentin Moutet in the first match in Toronto.
Davidovich Fokina will seek his spot in the last 16 against the Miami Open champion, Jakub Mensik.
"Today, I want to share my disappointment and frustration with ATP. Tomorrow, every match starts at 12:30 except ours, which has been scheduled at 11:00.
We are staying one hour away from the club, which means we have to wake up extremely early to arrive in good condition. We have asked for a change, but the answer was that everything has already been sold, including tickets and TV rights.
Once again, it's clear that players are not taken into consideration. Today, it happens to others, tomorrow it's me, and from the day after, all matches return to 12:30. There are plenty of available courts, and yet we are the only ones playing at 11:00.
The ATP always promises they will fix things, but nothing ever changes. This is not the first time it has happened, and when you are inside, you realize it's not as great as it looks from the outside," Alejandro Davidovich Fokina wrote.
Joel Dahmen, a 37-year-old US player, has a serious challenge ahead of him, as he wants to qualify for the PGA Tour playoffs. The seasoned golfer had an impressive day, finishing the round with three consecutive birdies for a 9-under 61.
The American golfer has a one-shot lead over Alex Noren.
The popular golfer is motivated to jump another step in his career, aware that the first 70 on the FexExCup list will have many privileges.
After the end of the first round, the experienced golfer shared positive emoticons, aware of what such a great result would bring him.
Joel Dahmen's ambitions
However, Dahmen does not want to focus too much on the next days or think about the result, as he wants to primarily play a great tournament.
“I mean, I've had like three top twos in my career — I don't know, four of them, maybe? I mean, it's not even a thing, right? Yeah, great to make the Playoffs, that would be unbelievable, give me a lot of time off this fall. We’ve got a baby coming so that would take some pressure off of that.
The Playoffs are a bonus for me. I’m just going to go out and try to play good golf, and I guess if I play really well, then I get to play another week.”- he concluded, as quoted by the PGA Tour.
The first 50 after the first Playoff tournament will have a guaranteed entry into all Signature events worth 20 million dollars, and there are many who have a strong motive to reach such a position.
This tournament also brought disappointment for some more experienced names, but today they will have the opportunity to improve their impression.
It will be interesting to follow Dahmen and see if he can really maintain his leadership position at one of the important PGA tournaments.
By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, July 31, 2025 Photo credit: Brad Penner/USTA/US Open
Caroline Garcia plans a Queen City return before her final farewell in Queens.
The 31-year-old Garcia aims to plan next month’s Cincinnati WTA 1000 event in preparation for her final tournament at the 2025 US Open.
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Garcia shared a brief video of her training with coach Bertrand Perret on Instagram Stories today. She captioned the video “Getting ready for Cincy tennis with my fave coach Bertrand Perret.”
It’s been a life-changing month for Garcia, who married long-time boyfriend Borja DurĂĄn in a beautiful and joyous ceremony earlier this month.
The happy couple shared exquisite images from their wedding ceremony on social media.
“The most beautiful day of our lives,” Garcia posted on social media.
The July 19th wedding comes nearly 13 months to the day after the couple announced their engagement.
Borja DurĂĄn is a Catalan university professor who has lived in Barcelona.
The couple launched their own podcast, The Tennis Insider Club, last year.
They’ve interviewed several stars, including Gael Monfils, Alize Cornet, Andrey Rublev and Victoria Azarenka for the podcast.
Former world No. 4 Garcia announced her intention to retire from the pro tour after the 2025 US Open in May. Garcia won 11 WTA singles titles, including defeating Aryna Sabalenka to capture the 2022 WTA Finals championship. Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic captured the Roland Garros doubles championship twice.
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, July 27, 2025 Photo credit: Mubadala Citi DC Open Facebook
Pushed into the doubles alley, Leylah Fernandez fired a forehand strike.
Even when she was operating from defensive positions, Fernandez conjured offensive magic.
In a brilliant performance, Fernandez crushed Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 to roll to her fourth career championship at the Mubadala Citi DC Open final today.
The 22-year-old Fernandez made history as the first Canadian to rule Washington, DC. Unleashing a 69-minute thrashing, Fernandez soared to the biggest title of her careerâand first since she won 2023 Hong Kong.
âWow. First of all I want to congratulate Anna and her team,â Fernandez said after winning her first WTA 500 championship. âYouâre a tough opponent to play against so congratulations and hope for the best for the future.
âSecondly, I want to thank the DC crowd, give yourself a round of applause. Thank you for being there all week. You guys have been amazing for cheering us on all week through the heat, the humidity the rain so thank you for being here all week.â
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Former world No. 13 Fernandez capped a spectacular week that saw her knock off Aussie talent Maya Joint, top-seeded and 2024 US Open finalist Jessica Pegula, new WTA doubles No. 1 and home hero Taylor Townsend and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in a grueling triple tiebreaker test in the height of the DC heat yesterday.
Fernandez posted four Top 50 wins this week in a stirring triumph that thrusts her back into the Top 25 at No. 24 in the Live Rankings.
World No. 48 Kalinskaya swept 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu yesterday, denying DC fans the prospect of a 2021 US Open final rematch.
The Russian, who had not surrendered a set en route to the final, looked overwhelmed playing for her maiden title today.
âI want to congratulate Leylah, an amazing fighter this week,â Kalinskaya said. âYou truly deserve it. Iâll see you soon, maybe weâll play each other next week you never know.â
Though Kalinskaya’s second serve is usually a sturdy shot, Fernandez won 10 of 12 points played on the Russian’s second serve and converted four of six break points today.
The left-handed Canadian cracked 16 winners, which is seven more than Kalinskaya hit.
Despite her draining three hour, 12-minute triumph over WTA ace leader Rybakina in sweltering heat yesterday, Fernandez exuded more energy and urgency from the opening point today.
Deadlocked after two games, Fernandez surged through five games in a row for a one-set lead.
Belting a backhand down the line brought Fernandez a third set point. Sprinting to her right, Fernandez flicked a drop shot winner to snatch a one-set lead.
Striking a rousing running forehand strike helped Fernandez stretch her lead to 6-1, 3-1.
Straddling the baseline, Fernandez attacked and blocked a forehand volley winner for two more break points.
Cracking a clean backhand return winner down the line, Fernandez stamped her fourth break of the match for a 4-1 second set lead.
Kalinskaya made a brief push going up love-30 in the next game, but Fernandez fired through four points in a row. Flashing a serve winner down the T, Fernandez threw a clenched fist to her father in the support box extending to 6-1, 5-1 after just 61 minutes of play.
On her third championship point, Fernandez closed on Kalinskaya’s 24th unforced error.
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, July 27, 2025 Photo credit: Hannah Peters/Getty
Alexander Zverev tuned up for the North American summer hard-court season training with coach Toni Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca.
Olympic gold-medal champion Zverev said heâd like to work with Toni Nadal on a more regular basis, but a prospective partnership depends on Uncle Toniâs schedule.
Speaking to the media in Toronto where he is top seed at this weekâs National Bank Open, Zverev said âIâm trying to convinceâ Toni Nadal to join his coaching team.
âI mean, he spent quite a lot of time with me actually as well, so I’m very thankful for that,â Zverev told the media in Toronto. âI mean, the time in Mallorca was amazing. I spent about 10 days there, and worked really hard and enjoyed it as well. I think Toni enjoyed it probably as well.
âI’m trying to convince him (smiling) to do more weeks with me, and we’ll see how it goes, but he’s a very busy man. Also he has a lot of dates that he already committed to this year, so I’m not sure how much of him you’ll see this year, because he gave his word to a lot of events and a lot of speeches already. But we’re talking about what a potential partnership could look like, for sure, and, yeah, I can give you an update probably in a few weeks time when we know more. But, yeah, I enjoyed my time there, that’s for sure.â
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In addition to working with Toni Nadal, Zverev said he gained âgreat insightâ from Rafael Nadal on his game. King of Clay Rafa Nadal shared with Zverev what it was like for him to face the German.
âYeah, they definitely spent a lot of hours talking to me, and they gave me some great insight. Rafa gave me some great insight of what it actually is like to play against me, because he saw me as a player, he saw me now as a spectator as well,â Zverev said. âIt was very helpful, and again, we spent hours and hours talking, sometimes until past midnight in some dinners and stuff like that. So it was great to be there.â
Earlier this month, Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech completed a five-set win over Zverev in the Wimbledon first round. Rinderknech won 44 of 55 trips to net and denied all nine break points he faced.
Afterward, Zverev said the prestigious Centre Court lawn felt like a deep hole he couldn’t escape.
Six months after his surge to the Australian Open final, Zverev suffered his second career Wimbledon first-round exit and opened up on the malaise he’s feeling.
“I would say more mental, probably. It’s funny, I feel very alone out there at times,” Zverev said. “I struggle mentally. I’ve been saying that since after the Australian Open. Yeah, just don’t know. I’m trying to find ways, trying to find ways to kind of get out of this hole. I keep kind of finding myself back in it in a way.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I feel, generally speaking, quite alone in life at the moment, which is a feeling that is not very nice.”
In his parting presser at SW19, Zverev said it’s possible he could hire a new coach and conceded he’s out of answers on court.
“Possibly,” Zverev said when asked about a new coach. “As I said, yeah, it’s a different feeling right now for me. I can’t speak for the moment. But I think I’ll have answers by Canada.”
While Zverev has worked with high-profile coaches in the pastâincluding David Ferrer, who helped guide him to the US Open final and former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has been exceptionally successful coaching Carlos Alcarazâhe continues to return to the familiarity of his father, Alexander Zverev, Sr., as coach.
Toni Nadal, known as a savvy and tough taskmaster, spent some time working with Felix Auger-Aliassime after stepping down as Rafa Nadal’s official coach. Zverev said his goal is to maximize his game to try to win Grand Slams.
“I mean, I think at this stage for me it’s about winning, and trying to maximize what I have, and trying to maximize what I can become,” Zverev said. “Again, I think my team, but also Toni are exceptional in that, in maximizing what a player has. Of course, he was with Rafa before, which I’m never going to compare myself to Rafa, but if he can maximize what I have, and he can maximize the potential that I have, I’m sure that I can have a lot more success in my career.”
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 28, 2025 Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
Gael Monfils reached down to touch the Toronto baseline signaling he’d reached the end of the line at the National Bank Open.
The 38-year-old Frenchman failed to convert match points bowing to Chilean qualifier Tomas Barrios Vera 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3) in Toronto on Sunday.
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Afterward, a disconsolate Monfils said his first-round exit was his final Toronto appearance.
“It was the last time I play in Toronto, for sure, yeah,” Monfils told the media in Toronto.
The National Bank Open alternates between Toronto and Montreal each year. Monfils will be 40 years old when the tournament returns to Toronto in 2027 and he made it clear he won’t be competing.
“There’s no explanation, you know, it’s the last one,” Monfils said. “It will be two years to play in Toronto, so pretty much I won’t be able to play it. Obviously I think the next one is too old for me, so I think it was the last time I play here.
“So, you know, I actually thought at the end, and I was like, Well, I think it’s, unfortunately, but the last time I think I would play here.”
Monfils opened the 2025 season winning his 13th career title in Auckland and went on to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open. Since then, he’s posted a 9-11 record with opening exits in four of his last five events.
A two-time semifinalist at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Canada, Monfils reached the Toronto quarterfinals two years ago pushing Jannik Sinner to three sets. The end of his opener on Sunday marked the end of an era.
“In Toronto, I think I played a semifinal here, had a great year here, great run,” Monfils said. “I remember a great match against Milos, a few other great matches here. Even two years ago I played quarterfinal with Jannik, it was a quite high level. But then it was too far.
“I remember I think I played Radek Stepanek, it was quite fun. I mean, I had fun matches in Toronto since I played here. So, it’s something, but at the end of the day, you know, it is natural and normal.”
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 28, 2025 Photo credit: Robert Prange/Getty
Naomi Osaka is ready for a reset.
It won’t include Patrick Mouratoglou.
Former No. 1 Osaka announced she split with Mouratoglou, who coached her for nearly 11 months.
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“Merci Patrick. It was such a great experience learning from you,” Osaka posted on Instagram. “Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, who split with ex-coach Wim Fissette after the 2024 US Open, began working with Mouratoglou in September of 2024.
“Yes [he’s] my [coach] right now. I try not to commit to short-term collaborations,” Osaka said last September. “I try to think that it is a long-term commitment. I like the way he coaches. I think it’s going to be very interesting.”
Working with Mouratoglou, Osaka captured her first clay-court title at the WTA 125 event in Saint Malo in May. She also reached the Auckland final in January retiring after dropping the opening set to Clara Tauson, 6-4.
Though they clicked personally, professional results largest eluded Osaka, who fell in three sets to Paula Badosa in the Roland Garros opening round. Osaka reached the Wimbledon third round losing in three sets to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Coach Mouratoglou was philosophical about the parting.
“Nothing lasts forever. What counts is what a collaboration has brought to each other and what lasts after,” Mouratoglou posted on social media.
The 49th-ranked Osaka lost to Emma Raducanu, 6-4, 6-2 in the Washington, DC round of 16 last week. Since she won her fourth Grand Slam championship at the 2021 Australian Open, Osaka has become a mom and spoken publicly about mental health battles. Osaka has played 12 majors since that 2021 AO victory and has yet to surpass the third round. She reached the third round of both the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year.
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 28, 2025 Photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty
Naomi Osaka didn’t waste time moving on from ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Former world No. 1 Osaka will begin working with Polish coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, Iga Swiatek’s ex-coach, on a trial basis starting in Montreal this week.
It’s a case of trading coaches as Swiatek currently works with Osaka’s ex-coach Wim Fissette.
Under Coach Wiktorowski’s guidance, Swiatek captured four of her six Grand Slam titles. The pair parted in October of 2024 with Swiatek subsequently hiring Osaka’s ex-coach. Though Swiatek did not defend her Roland Garros championship, she made history as the first Polish player to win Wimbledon crushing Amanda Anisimova, 6-0, 6-0, in The Championships final earlier this month.
Swiatek commenced her run with Wiktorowski at the end of the 2021 season. The pair captured four of Swiatekâs Grand Slam titles during their three-year partnership, and logged 19 of Swiatekâs 22 career titles. She was previously coached by Piotr Sierzputowski, and the pair won Roland-Garros together in 2020.
“Coach Wiktorowski joined my team for three seasons, when I strongly needed changes and a fresh approach to my game,” Swiatek said after splitting wtih the Polish coach. “His experience, analytical and strategic attitude and enormous knowledge about tennis helped us to achieve things I’ve never dreamed of only a few months after we started working together.
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“Our main goal was to become No.1 player in the world and coach Wiktorowski was the one who said it first. We aimed very high, we headed to every tournament with a clear goal to win it. Together with coach Wiktorowski we won many tournaments and 4 Grand Slams.”
Naomi Osaka prepares for her opening match later today âš
— Omnium Banque Nationale (@OBNmontreal) July 28, 2025
Osaka announced her split from Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached her for nearly 11 months, over the weekend.
âMerci Patrick. It was such a great experience learning from you,â Osaka posted on Instagram. âWishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people Iâve ever met and Iâm sure Iâll see you around.â
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 28, 2025 Photo credit: Robert Prange/Getty
A hometown farewell ignite fire in Genie Bouchard.
Playing the final tournament of her career before her home fans in Montreal, Bouchard turned back time with a rousing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 win over world No. 82 Emiliana Arango.
Attacking relentlessly, the Canadian wild card rode a wave of energy from Montreal fans to score her first main-draw Tour-level win in more than two years.
“I always knew, of course, if I lost, it would be the last one be, but as soon as I got on the court, I really tried to take it like a regular match and really emphasize, like, the focus and just telling myself what I wanted to do each point,” Bouchard said afterward. “I’m blocking out all the kind of consequences, and I’m, like, Okay, I’ll deal with all that stuff after, let me just play tennis and enjoy the toughness of what playing a WTA match is, because it’s tough out there.”
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A physical three-set win required resilience from Bouchard, who handed Arango her first three-set defeat of the season.
Former world No. 5 Bouchard said her performance was a balancing act of savoring the physical pain while drawing on the pleasure and inspiration of Montreal fans exhorting her on nearly every point.
“You know, you have to kind of enjoy that pain, and so I did,” Bouchard said. “Then the crowd really was helpful in terms of motivating me and giving me energy, but at the same time, it’s almost– it can be a point where it’s almost so much that it can help me — it can make me lose my focus or I don’t want to get kind of too kind of excited or too high because you still have the rest of the match to play. So there were definitely moments where I had to kind of almost block out the noise and just pretend it was a normal point that just happened and just keep going because the crowd was very loud out there, and I really, really appreciated it.”
Refusing to surrender, Bouchard extended her career for at least one more match. The former Wimbledon finalist will face 2025 Wimbledon semifinalist and 2015 Canadian Masters champion Belinda Bencic next.
“She’s obviously a great player. It’s funny, I played here in Toronto ten years ago, and then she ended up winning the tournament,” Bouchard said of Bencic. “So, yeah, I know it will be a crazy tough match. I’ll probably do stuff in practice tomorrow, kind of thinking about playing against her. She loves to take it early, change direction. So I’ve had some battles against her, so I’m looking forward to it.”
By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Photo credit: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty
A torn pectoral muscle shattered Grigor Dimitrov’s Wimbledon dreamâand ended his 2025 US Open before it began.
The 34-year-old Dimitrov has withdrawn from the US Open as he continues recovery from a partial rupture of his pectoral muscle he suffered while leading world No. 1 Jannik Sinner 6-3, 7-5, 2-2 in the Wimbledon round of 16.
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Dimitrov’s manager, Georgi Stoimenov, confirmed his client’s withdrawal from the Flushing Meadows major to Bulgarian website Tennis Kafe.
The withdrawal ended Dimitrov’s remarkable run of 58 consecutive Grand Slam appearances that dates back to the 2011 Australian Open. Dimitrov held the longest streak of consecutive Slams played among active men and the fifth longest streak in Open Era history. Mutua Madrid Open tournament director and Dimitrov friend Feliciano Lopez owns the longest streak with 79 consecutive Grand Slams in a row. That streak ended in 2022.
The 20th-ranked Dimitrov, who won the 2008 Wimbledon boys and US Open boys’ championships in succession, reached the Flushing Meadows quarterfinals last year bowing to Frances Tiafoe.
A 2019 US Open semifinalist, Dimitrov has contested semifinals at three of the four Grand Slam tournaments, including the 2014 Wimbledon and 2017 Australian Open.
In a classic clash vs. the king of clay Rafael Nadal, Dimitrov pushed Nadal to five sets in a 2017 Australian Open marathon match.
Driven to the brink in a pulsating four hour, 56-minute clash, Nadal fought off a dynamic Dimitrov, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-4, to reach his 24th Grand Slam final in Melbourne.
By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
Bianca Andreescu won a clash of major champions, but lost a health battle in the process.
The 2019 US Open champion suffered turn ankle ligaments at the very end of her 6-3, 6-4 victory over 2024 Wimbledon winner Barbora Krejcikova in Montreal on Sunday. Despite injuring her ankle, Andreescu, operating on adrenaline, managed to play a couple more points to score her first WTA main-draw win since ‘s-Hertogenbosch on grass last month.
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The injury forced Andreescu to withdraw from the National Bank Open before her scheduled showdown with Mirra Andreeva today.
Beset by a litany of injury in recent years, Andreescu said she has to laugh to keep from going crazy.
“All I could think about is, honestly, like why, again?” Andreescu told the media in Montreal. “I think I even screamed out, “Why does this keep happening to me?” Yeah, just a bunch of emotions. I was super overwhelmed obviously playing in front of home crowd. Winning the match, right?
“It was match point for me, and it was just crazy. It was crazy. I started laughing at one point because, honestly, at this point it’s laughable. For me it’s just crazy. It’s crazy. I’m trying to stay positive, but it’s getting really tough. It’s getting really tough.”
Currently ranked No. 187, Andreescu said she hopes to recover in time to play Cincinnati, but isn’t sure her ankle will heal fast enough to permit her to play in the Queen City.
“Taking it day by day, but obviously the ligaments are a little bit torn, so that takes time,” Andreescu said. “So it’s kind of a day-to-day thing. I’m hoping to be ready for Cincinnati, but yeah, we don’t know. Can’t say.”
The 25-year-old Canadian’s US Open hopes will be in doubt if she doesn’t recover in time for Cincinnati and has to play qualifying in Flushing Meadows. A year ago, Andreescu pushed Wimbledon finalist and seventh-seeded Jasmine Paolini to 6-4 in the third set in a US Open first-round loss.
While Andreescu concedes her injury woes have caused her to contemplate an early retirement, she said she loves the sport and views injury issues as a test she’s determined to pass.
“On my bad days, which yesterday definitely was a very bad day for me, I definitely had different thoughts running through my head, but at the end of the day, I know that I truly love this sport,” Andreescu said. “It’s given me so much, and the emotions that I get from – just an example, last night was incredible being able to play in front of my home crowd and actually win and finish the match off, even though I was still hurt.
“If you are talking about retirement or whatever… I don’t know. Just because obviously I’ve thought about that too, but no, like, this for me, my goals are still set. Yes, I’m going to have bad days, but I know my goals, and I know what I want to accomplish in this sport.
“So yeah, all I have to do is do my best, and I know that we didn’t do anything wrong. Yeah, I guess, I don’t know, it just happened. The universe just keeps testing me, but I know it’s going to make me stronger.”
By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, July 30, 2025 Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
Stefanos Tsitsipas has rehired a familiar face as coach.
Tsitsipas has resumed working with his father and original coach Apostolos Tsitsipas, he announced on his Instagram stories today.
“Some trips tend to go back to where they started,” Tsitsipas posted on Instagram. “After a period of separation, I found the person who believed in me first, my father. I’m grateful to share the short and the road with him again.
“We have gone through each chapter of this journey together and the next one seems to me to be the right one. Sometimes coming home is the boldest step forward.”
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The announcement comes one week after Tstisipas and former Wimbledon champion and ex-Novak Djokovic coach Goran Ivanisevic split ending a brief partnership.
A candid Ivanisevic was critical of Tsitsipas’ work habits at the end of their partnership.
âHe has to resolve his back issue. I was shocked. Iâve never seen such an underprepared player in my life,â Ivanisevic, who won a Wimbledon title as a player and coached Novak Djokovic to his last 12 major titles, said.
Former world No. 3 Tsitsipas won his 12th career title in Dubai in February, but the summer has been a season of struggle for the Greek. Tsitsipas has posted a 4-5 record in his last nine matches, fell in the Wimbledon first round and split with former girlfriend and WTA star Paula Badosa. The pair were schedule to play next month’s US Open Mixed Doubles, but withdrew from that event.
Tsitsipas, whose ranking has dropped to No. 30, will try to jump-start his North American summer hard-court season facing Aussie Christopher O’Connell in Toronto today.
Though Tsitsipas has worked with ex ATP standouts Ivanisevic, Mark Philippoussis and Thomas Enqvist in the past, he continues to return to working with father Apostolos. Time will tell whether father and son can remedy some of the issues that have plagued the talented Greek, including adapting his style to faster surfaces, fixing his backhand return, which opponents tend to target, and attempting to impose his all-court skill and athleticism rather than just standing back at the baseline seeking forehands. Â
