Archive of posts tagged Sports

Shelton Takes Out Cobolli In Heated Toronto Affair

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Tempers flared, tension mounted, and Shelton soared.

Ben Shelton found himself a break down in the third set against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli on Sunday night in Toronto, but the American dug himself out of the hole to defeat his adversary, 6-4 4-6 7-6(1).

In the process Shelton earned his 100th career win, and the 22-year-old advances to face Alex de Minaur in his fourth career Masters 1000 quarterfinal as he seeks his first trip to a semifinal at this level.

With the win Shelton becomes the the 8th man born in 21st century reach 100 wins, and the 9th active American man to achieve the feat.

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“I think I was really mentally tough tonight,” Shelton later told the media. “I got to give credit to Flavio, he did a lot of things throughout the match that made it difficult. I thought he played very well. He’s really fast, neutralizes a lot of things that I do well, and that’s always a tough matchup for me, so just happy to come through it.”

The battle intensified down the stretch, as Shelton rallied from 5-3 down to level up and force a breaker with the 23-year-old.

It wasn’t exactly clear what Cobolli had done, but when the pair met as the match concluded, Shelton called out the Italian for a gesture that he made. Cobolli and Shelton had a long discussion, with Cobolli saying it wasn’t directed at Shelton, as he also said that he was simply voicing frustration at himself for squandering a lead.

“He just made a gesture in the tiebreaker in asked him about it. He said it wasn’t towards me so we’re cool,” Shelton said on court after the match.

The American was pressed about the issue again in his post-match interview and said: “He said it wasn’t towards me. We’re good. We talked about it in the locker room, so I’m not going to answer any more questions about that. There’s no story, we’re good, that’s it.”

Cobolli seemed to have the match in hand, serving at 5-4, 15-0 in the final set, but his luck went south from there. The Italian double faulted to give Shelton two break points and the American converted the second as Cobolli missed a forehand wide to take the score to 5-all.

He held in the next game to lead 6-5, and even though he squandered a match point in the 12th game, Shelton dominated the ensuing tiebreak to close out the win in 2:24.

“I was able to get a second chance by holding my serve and getting to the point where he had to serve it out,” he said. “It’s not always easy, especially on a night like this where it’s windy and not as hot, not bouncing as high as it is during the day, to serve out sets in matches. Same with me in the first set. I got broke serving for the set, and then he got broke trying to serve to stay in it.

“It was a nervy match and it was difficult, I think kind of after getting through that game and, you know, being able to bring my energy level back to where I wanted it to be at, and to get a confident hold at 5-all was huge for me.”

Montreal: Naomi Osaka delivers perfect display for QF, destroys rival in 49 minutes

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Amanda Anisimova

Naomi Osaka has just delivered one of her best displays since starting her post-pregnancy comeback in 2024 as the former world No. 1 needed just 49 minutes to destroy Anastasija Sevastova 6-1 6-0 in the Montreal round-of-16.

Through the opening two games of the match, the two players were tied to one game apiece. From that moment on, there was only one player on the court – and it was the Japanese – who impressively took the next 11 games without basically giving any chance to the former world No. 11. 

For Osaka, this is her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal of the year. Also, this is the first time since Auckland that the four-time Grand Slam champion has managed to win four matches in a single tournament at the main level – note, the Japanese also had five consecutive wins in May at the WTA 125 (Challenger) tournament in Saint-Malo. 

Now, the 27-year-old awaits the winner of the match between No. 5 seed Amanda Anisimova and Elina Svitolina.

Osaka is looking rejuvenated in Montreal

After losing in the Washington round-of-16, Osaka made a big move and decided to say goodbye to coach Patrick Mouratoglou. But she is not alone in Montreal after quickly agreeing on a collaboration with Iga Swiatek's former long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. So far, their debut has been nothing short of outstanding.

“I think with personality, I was a little nervous because he seems a little stern but he’s actually kind of funny. He’ll randomly say a joke that I wasn’t expecting or something like that. I like him a lot. I know that we’ve only played two matches, but he seems very decisive with what he wants. And I think that that makes it very clear for me," Osaka said of Wiktorowski a few days ago.

Osaka won't have an easy job in the Montreal quarterfinal whoever she faces, but she is certainly not lacking any confidence at the moment.

Coco Gauff quickly shuts down Victoria Mboko comparisons

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Coco

Coco Gauff refused to compare Victoria Mboko to herself and also added that others should not engage in such conversations because it would be "unfair" toward the 18-year-old Canadian.

On Tuesday, the rising Canadian star – who is ranked at No. 85 in the world – registered her biggest win by ousting the top-seeded American 6-1 6-4 in the round-of-16 of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal. 

From start to finish, it was Mboko who had the upper hand as the 18-year-old impressively converted four of her five break point chances, as well as saved all of Gauff's five break point opportunities. 

Before making her maiden WTA 1000 quarterfinal in Montreal, Mboko won five ITF titles earlier this year. The Canadian, who was ranked at No. 333 when the 2025 season, is now guaranteed to improve at least 30 spots on Monday and be ranked inside the top-55 for the first time in her career. 

Even before beating Gauff, Mboko drew certain comparisons to the American, who had a rapid start to her career. Those conversations only increased after the 18-year-old's impressive win on Saturday. 

Gauff: I don't think it's fair to put that on Mboko

"No, she's a completely different player, completely different person. I've never been one to compare myself to others, whether it be like people comparing me to Serena or Venus, and I don't think it's fair to put that on her as well. Yeah, but I do see someone who is going to have a really bright future, for sure," the 21-year-old American responded when asked if she recognized herself in the Canadian.

Gauff didn't want to compare Mboko to herself but she gladly said what she liked about the Canadian's game.

"I mean, she's very athletic. She's a great ball striker, and she seems pretty positive out there on the court, doesn't get really too negative," the two-time Grand Slam winner explained.

Alexander Zverev confesses he once retired match because he couldn't beat his brother

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Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev, 28, issued one very honest confession while speaking with a couple of former American tennis stars, revealing that he retired against Mischa Zverev in the 2014 Houston qualifying only because he "could not beat" his brother.

Mischa, a former world No. 25, thrashed his brother 6-0 6-1 when they met in the 2012 Dallas Challenger qualifying. Two years later – just before Alexander's 17th birthday – they clashed in the Houston qualifying first round. This time, it was a much more contested battle as a 16-year-old Alexander took a set off his brother. But with Mischa leading 7-5 4-6 3-2, the younger of the two brothers got overwhelmed – went to the net – and shook his brother's hand.

Alexander Zverev: I just couldn't beat my brother so I pulled out

"We actually played one more time in Houston, but we played in qualies in 2014. And I actually, don't know if people know that, he (Mischa) knows that, we played a very long three-set match. We played for like, three hours, and then it was like 3-2 in the third set. I think I was up 3-2 in the third set with a break, and I felt so bad that I pulled out. Yeah, I pulled out, I couldn't beat him. I just couldn't do it," the three-time Grand Slam runner-up confessed on the Nothing Major Show.

Four years after their Houston meeting, the Zverev brothers met again. At the time of their third meeting, Alexander had already become one of the best in the game and he ended up beating his older brother 6-3 7-5 in the 2018 Washington first round.

Mischa, who is 10 years older than his brother, officially retired from pro tennis in 2023 but he barely played across the 2021 and 2022 seasons since he joined his brother's team years ago.

The Zverev brothers evidently have a great relationship, but still you rarely see a player admitting that they just couldn't beat the rival standing on the other side of the net. 

Victoria Mboko asked what went through her head while Coco Gauff was spraying errors

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Coco

Victoria Mboko claims she didn't think much or put any focus on Coco Gauff making errors on the court as she just wanted to stay locked in on executing her own tactics. 

In front of their home fans, the 18-year-old Canadian pulled off a big upset and recorded the biggest win of her career after ousting the current world No. 2 and two-time Grand Slam champion 6-1 6-4 to reach the Montreal quarterfinal. 

Going into the match, Gauff had struggled in her first two matches with double faults and unforced errors. And right from the start of their round-of-16 clash, Mboko took full control of the match and she was all over the top seed. 

While the American tennis star found her footing in the second set, Mboko was still the one who came up big when it mattered the most, saving four break points in the seventh game before collecting the key break in the 10th game.

During the match, Gauff had six double faults and 24 unforced errors. 

Mboko asked what crossed her mind when Gauff started making 'a lot of mistakes'

"Well, I mean, nothing really crosses my mind just because, I mean, that's the game. People make errors. It happens. I make errors too. So I was just really focused on myself and what I had to do. I didn't really focus as much as what she was doing in the match because I just wanted to play as solid of a game as I possibly could. I just wanted to do what I was supposed to do in the match and hope for the best," the world No. 85 explained.

When it comes to her own stats, Mboko was impressive – she had five break points and converted five of those. Also, the 18-year-old didn't allow Gauff to realize any of her five break point chances.

In her post-match presser, Gauff spoke highly of the rising Canadian tennis star and tipped her to have a bright future.

For a place in the Montreal semifinal, Mboko meets Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Alexander Zverev shares Daniil Medvedev is his 'most annoying rival' in hilarious way

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Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev has named Daniil Medvedev as his "most annoying rival," and even hilariously stated that the Russian "turns into a prime Novak Djokovic" whenever they meet on the court.

Against Medvedev, Zverev has seven wins in 20 meetings and the 2021 US Open champion is evidently an uncomfortable matchup for him. But there is one stunning thing about their rivalry – before the German started regularly losing to the Russian, he had a perfect 4-0 record against the former world No. 1 and once also held a 5-1 record in their head-to-head.

However, that was before the 2020 season. Since 2020, they have clashed against each other 14 times and Medvedev has won 12 of those encounters. 

Over the past year and a half, the Russian has struggled a lot with his consistency and he is now ranked at No. 14 in the world. However, that didn't stop him from beating the third-ranked German 7-6 (3) 6-7 (1) 6-4 in their most recent meeting in the Halle semifinal.

Zverev: Even now, I still lose to Medvedev… He turns into a primer Djokovic against me 

“For me, the most obvious answer is Daniil. I mean, lost to him like 78 times, to be honest (laughs). Even now. Even now, I’m ranked three in the world and he is ranked, I don’t know 14, and I still lose to him in Halle. He turns into prime Novak Djokovic every time he plays against me and I’m like, ‘I don’t even play that bad. Why am I losing?'” the 28-year-old said on the Nothing Major Show, which is hosted by former American tennis player Sam Querrey, John Isner, Steve Johnson and Jack Sock.

Zverev maybe hasn't had much success against Medvedev in recent years but he won one of their most important clashes in the last five years – the German ended on the winning side in the 2021 ATP Finals final to win his second title at the prestigious season-ending tournament.

Popyrin Stops Rune, Keeps Title Defense Hopes Alive in Toronto

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Alexei Popyrin north of the US border? That’s a good thing for the 25-year-old Aussie, who rallied past Holger Rune on Saturday night in Toronto to stretch his winning streak in Canada to nine victories, 4-6 6-2 6-3.

After the match he signed the camera “I love Canada X 2”.

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Last year’s champion in Montreal reached his second Masters quarterfinal of 2025, and his fourth overall as he took out the 22-year-old World No.9 with an inspired effort.

“I just feel comfortable on these courts, I think the surface is a little bit quicker,” Popyrin said. “I don’t know if it makes sense, but it lets me have a little bit more time on the court, because I hit my first aggressive shot and I can dictate from there.”

Popyrin hit 30 winners against 24 unforced errors; Rune hit 24 winners and 39 unforced.

Ranked 26 and seeded 18 in Toronto, Popyrin has now won consecutive matches against former Top-5 players.

The Aussie went 0 for 11 in break opportunities in the opening set, but converted three break points across the final two sets to level his lifetime head-to-head with Rune at one apiece.

“After the first set I was pissed,” Popyrin said. “But when I came back out to return again, it felt like I was in control of the match. I told myself to be aggressive on the next break point that I got, and from then on I felt quite comfortable.”

Popyrin, who toppled former World No.1 Daniil Medvedev in the third round, is into his first hard court quarterfinal since he claimed the title in Montreal last year, defeating Andrey Rublev in the final.

He will face either top-seeded Alexander Zverev or Francisco Cerundolo in the last eight.

Popyrin saved a pair of break points while serving at 3-1 in the third, after breaking in the previous game. He didn’t look back from there, winning 12 of the final 15 points and breaking Rune again for good measure in the final game.

Iga Swiatek shares what 'funny' Eva Lys told her at the net after Montreal match

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Eva Lys

Iga Swiatek reveals Eva Lys was cracking jokes at herself following their Montreal meeting and she thought it was "funny."

On Friday, the third-seeded Pole needed just an hour and 14 minutes to oust the world No. 69 6-2 6-2 in the Montreal third round.

Moments after their match ended, Lys could have been seen telling Swiatek something that made the former world No. 1 laugh. When the Polish tennis star hit the press room, one reporter was curious to know what the two had exchanged at the net. That's when the reigning Wimbledon champion shared that her rival hilariously stated that while she lost again, she at least won more games than she did in their previous meeting.

In January, Swiatek crushed Lys 6-0 6-1 in the Australian Open round-of-16.

"Well, she joked that she won more games than last time, so it was kind of funny. She's a really nice girl with a lot of down-to-earth humor, so I appreciate that. At first I didn't hear her. These exchanges at the net are always kind of, like, awkward. I like her humor, so for sure it was funny," the six-time Grand Slam champion revealed.

Lys continued with her humor on social media 

After losing to Swiatek, Lys dropped one hilarious comment on X. 

The 23-year-old German didn't stop there, adding more on Instagram, where she funnily blamed the Polish tennis star for ending her promising runs. 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Eva Lys (@eva.lys)

Lys often posts memes on social media, so her showing the funny side against Swiatek was all but a surprise.

Stefanos Tsitsipas pumps brakes on Jannik Sinner/Carlos Alcaraz e Big 3 comparison

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AlcarazSinner rivalry

Stefanos Tsitsipas says Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz undoubtedly play at "a very high level," but believes they cannot be declared better than Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer until they emulate their accomplishments.

Since 2024, only two players have been winning Grand Slams in men's tennis. The 23-year-old Italian, who has been ranked at No. 1 since mid-2024, has four in his collection and all have come over the past 20 months. On the other side, the 22-year-old Spanish tennis star already has five Majors in his trophy cabinet.

The way Sinner and Alcaraz have dominated the men's game for the past 20 months resembles the times when the Big Three were untouchable. Naturally, it led to comparisons between the two young stars and the three tennis icons.

Tsitsipas, who arrived on the Tour when the Big Three were still dominating tennis and lost two Grand Slam finals to Djokovic, suggests Sinner and Alcaraz can only be compared to the Big Three when they reach at least the 20-Major win mark. 

Tsitsipas: Until Sinner and Alcaraz win as many tournaments as the Big Three, we cannot say thay are better

“I don’t think we can say Sinner and Alcaraz are better than Federer, Nadal and Djokovic until they win as many tournaments and that will take a long time. What we can say is that the level from Jannik and Carlos is very high," the Greek told Tennis365.

After revealing his thoughts on the matter, Tsitsipas also stated that it was normal that new big stars would come and opinioned it would keep happening. Then, he concluded by higlighting that it would be extremely hard for anyone to beat the records set by the Big Three.

“What we can also say is Roger, Rafa and Novak raised the standards and the number of titles they won will be hard to beat," Tsitsipas noted.

Djokovic is still active and he has 24 Grand Slams, while Nadal finished with 22 and Federer concluded his career with 20.

Montreal: Coco Gauff reduces double fault number but still gets ousted by world No.85

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Coco

Coco Gauff reduced her double fault number against Victoria Mboko but still easily lost her Montreal round-of-16 match after the world No. 85 picked up a 6-1 6-4 win in just an hour and two minutes of play.

Right out the gate, rising Canadian star Mboko wanted to show that she came to play and she did so by impressively breaking the top seed three times in the first set to bag the opener.

After easily dropping the opening set, Gauff stabilized on her serve, but also failed to convert any of her four break points in the seventh game. That came back to haunt the American, who got broken in the 10th game of the second set – the game in which she was serving to stay in the match.

Through her first two Montreal matches, Gauff fired a total of 37 double faults. Against Mboko, the top seed had six double faults. But the issue was that she won only 12 of her 27 second serve points – saved only one of five break points she faced – all while also not realizing any of her five break points.

In her maiden WTA 1000 quarterfinal, Mboko will play against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Mboko paid tribute to Gauff after their Montreal match

After sealing the biggest win of her career, the 18-year-old Canadian declared the 21-year-old American "a great champion."

“It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion," the world No. 85 said after beating the two-time Grand Slam winner.

Gauff also spoke highly of the rising Canadian tennis star, tipping her to do some nice things.

“I’m sure we’re going to have many more battles in the future. Yeah, I think she’s going to have a lot of success on tour," Gauff said of the 18-year-old.

World No. 51 Bouzas Maneiro is a pretty favorable quarterfinal matchup for Mboko and the home favorite will definitely like her chances of also making the Montreal semifinal.

Coco Gauff confesses one mistake she probably made after Montreal run ends in R16

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Canada

Coco Gauff made an honest admission following her Montreal exit as the American tennis star admitted that she probably should have played in Washington and tried to kickstart her summer on hard courts in the United States capital.

After losing in the Wimbledon first round, Gauff went a full month without playing a match. This week, the world No. 2 returned to action by kicking off her North American hard-court swing at the WTA 1000 in Montreal. In Canada, the two-time Grand Slam champion heavily struggled with her serve and rhythm, but still managed to clinch ugly wins over Danielle Collins and Veronika Kudermetova before world No. 87 Victoria Mboko handed her a 6-1 6-4 loss.

Across her three matches played, Gauff served 43 double faults and committed over 100 unforced errors. After the Mboko loss, the reigning French Open winner was asked if she had an idea why it was so hard to find her game and rhythm in Montreal.

Gauff: Deciding to practice over playing in Washington maybe wasn't the right decision…

"I don't know. That's a good question, honestly. I felt like in practice I was playing well the last few weeks just practicing. I decided to take some time off and not play DC to actually focus on that, and maybe that wasn't the right decision. Maybe it was better to get more matches under my belt. But you know, it's the first tournament on the hard court season, so I'm hoping that in Cincy and in New York I can find that rhythm," the world No. 2 explained.

In four days, the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati is starting. While Gauff's Montreal run wasn't an impressive run, the 21-year-old still got some matches under her belt and that's a positive thing.

Cincinnati is a special place for Gauff, who lifted her maiden WTA 1000 crown in front of her home fans two years ago.

Elena Rybakina indicates she is managing some niggles amid promising Montreal run

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Elena

Elena Rybakina indicates she is dealing with some slight physical issues but suggests everything is under control and she is ready for the remainder of Montreal and the North American hard-court swing.

On Saturday, the Kazakh – who is currently ranked at No. 12 in the world and seeded at No. 9 at the Canadian Open – survived a two-hour and 33-minute battle versus No. 30 seed Dayana Yastremska 5-7 6-2 7-5 to reach the quarterfinal.

For Rybakina, that was already her sixth match on hard courts this summer. Before coming to Montreal, the former world No. 3 reached the Washington semifinal before losing to Leylah Fernandez.

"Well, of course, a little bit getting tired of my issues, but we're managing. Overall I'm happy that I'm ready to play these long matches. I think it's a good preparation for US Open in the end of the day," the 26-year-old said when asked how she was physically feeling.

Rybakina comments on facing Marta Kostyuk next in Montreal

Next up for Rybakina will be a career-fourth meeting against world No. 28 Kostyuk. Two and a half years ago, Kostyuk won their first match at the Adelaide International. Since then, they have met two more times, with the Kazakh winning on the ending side at the 2023 US Open and 2024 Stuttgart. 

While the 2022 Wimbledon champion won their last two meetings routinely in straight sets, she insists that she expects "a tough battle" against the Ukrainian.

"We played a couple of times. So different surface, but it's always tough battle. There is noisy matches, that's for sure. I will try to focus on myself. I know that she's really fighter, and she's really physically tough opponent. So yeah, I will try to do my best and hopefully can win that match," the Kazakh said of facing Kostyuk.

In the past, Rybakina made the Montreal semifinal in 2023.

Holger Rune shares his frustration after his loss in Toronto

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Alexei Popyrin

There were huge expectations on Holger Rune in this edition of the Toronto Masters 1000, where the young Danish ace could benefit from the absence of several top players such as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper. The former world number 4 had started his run well in Canada and seemed to be able to go far in this tournament, but was eliminated by Alexei Popyrin in the round of 16.

The winner of the 2022 Paris-Bercy Masters 1000 lost to a very dangerous player on this surface, who is capable of shining at the 'Canadian Open' considering that he lifted the trophy in Montreal a year ago, but Rune showed all his weaknesses once again.

The former Top 5 player had the chance to practice alongside a legend like Andre Agassi before the start of the North American tournaments, but ruled out that the American will follow him around the world as he already has a very busy schedule.

Rune lost again

The feeling is that Holger needs new stimuli at this stage of his career, which has entered a stagnant phase and there do not seem to be effective solutions for the moment. With the exception of excellent performances in Indian Wells (where he reached the final) and Barcelona (where he lifted the trophy), Rune's 2025 has not been satisfactory so far and his results in Grand Slam tournaments have been far below expectations.

During his latest press conference in Toronto, the Danish star confided that he was quite disappointed: "I didn't play my best tennis and it was a disappointing performance, there's not much more to add. I didn't express the level I wanted, I struggled with my serve and I didn't feel comfortable on court. I have to adopt better strategies during matches and select my shots in a better way. When I can make this improvement, then my results will improve."

Rune's next tournament will be the Cincinnati Masters 1000, scheduled for August 7-18.

Rybakina Holds Off Yastremska in Montreal

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By Chris Oddo, Saturday August 2, 2025

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.

She rebounded and powered through the second set before turning the tables on Yastremska with a late break for 6-5.

In the final game Yastremska saved a trio of match points and earned a break point, which was erased by a brave second-serve ace from Rybakina.

The 2023 semifinalist will face Marta Kostyuk, who defeated McCartney Kessler, 5-7 6-3 6-3, in the round of 16 on Saturday.

Rybakina has won two of three previous meetings with Kostyuk, including the last two.

Montreal: Elena Rybakina survives slugfest vs No. 30 seed, reaches quarterfinal

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Berlin

Elena Rybakina struggled and complicated once again but today she managed to come out on top in a tight one and beat Dayana Yastremska 5-7 6-2 7-5 in just over two and a half hours of play for a place in the Montreal quarterfinal.

In the first set, the ninth-seeded Kazakh was up by a break and led 4-3 before collapsing and losing the opener. After dropping the first set in a painful way, the 2022 Wimbledon champion was more convincing in the second set as she bounced back with two breaks to force a decider.

After no breaks were seen in the first four games of the third set, Rybakina got one in the fifth game to go 3-2 up. In the following game, the No. 9 seed had two consecutive game points but blew them as Yastremska got the break back and tied the decider to three games apiece.

Later in the set, Rybakina managed to register a break again in the 11th game and to give herself a chance to serve out for the match. To no one's surprise, the 12th game didn't go without some drama as the Kazakh blew three match points – but then saved a break point – before realizing her fourth match point to seal the win.

It was the type of win that Rybakina needed

The week before Montreal, the Kazakh reached the Washington semifinal before blowing a 7-6 (2) 5-3 lead against Leylah Fernandez. A month earlier, the former world No. 3 failed to convert any of her four consecutive match points against Aryna Sabalenka in the Berlin quarterfinal. And two months earlier, the Kazakh lost to Iga Swiatek at the French Open despite leading 6-1 2-0 early on in the match.

Against Yastremska, it was another tight contest and a hard day at the office for Rybakina. But she managed to win and she is now set to play against Marta Kostyuk for a place in the Montreal semifinal.

Ben Shelton survives Brandon Nakashima challenge in Toronto

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Ben

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. 

Brandon Nakashima & Ben Shelton, Toronto 2025

Brandon Nakashima & Ben Shelton, Toronto 2025© Stream screenshot

 

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 Shelton, Toronto 2025

Ben Shelton, Toronto 2025© Stream screenshot

 

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. 

Anastasija Sevastova drops bombshell after upsetting Jessica Pegula in Montreal

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Anastasija

Former world No. 11 Anastasija Sevastova admitted she "did not even think" about beating Jessica Pegula after falling behind early, before also hinting at retiring in the next couple of weeks.

In case you missed it, Sevastova – who is ranked at No. 386 in the world and entered Montreal using a protected ranking – pulled off a stunning comeback and upset on Monday when she took out defending champion Pegula 3-6 6-4 6-1. The start of the match went as expected as the third-seeded American was firmly 6-3 2-0 up. But then out of nowhere, the Latvian former world No. 11 won 12 of the next 14 games and progressed into the Montreal round-of-16. 

“It’s a bit surreal. I didn’t think about winning all the match. I was just so — I’d like to stay as long as possible on court. In the third set, I think I really played great tennis. I didn’t do any mistakes, and I just put her in bad positions so she has to do a lot of things she doesn’t like. And yeah, at the end, somehow I won," Sevastova reflected.

Sevastova hints at retiring after the US Open

In early 2024, the Latvian four-time WTA champion tore her ACL. After not playing for 13 months, the 35-year-old kicked off her post-surgery comeback in April.

Prior to coming in Montreal, Sevastova had been 5-7 in 2025. And while she is in the midst of a great run at the Canadian Open, she may not play beyond the US Open.

“It’s a bit different now because I come with zero expectations. I mean, I don’t have any good ranking and I’m not going to play every week. I don’t know if I’m going to play after US Open. Depends, maybe I’ll play if I still have fun, maybe not," the 35-year-old admitted.

Meanwhile, Sevastova plays against Naomi Osaka in her next Montreal match.

Alexander Zverev sounds off on two-week Masters format, calls out ATP bosses

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Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev reveals he is not a fan of two-week Masters tournaments and suggests the ATP made the schedule harder for players instead of making it easier after repeated calls to make changes to what many think is a pretty crowded calendar.

In the past, Indian Wells and Miami were the only Masters tournaments longer than a week. In recent years, several other tournaments from the 1000-category became a 10-day or 12-day events, with Monte Carlo and Paris remaining as the only tournaments from the category that take a week to finish. 

Zverev, who turned 28 in April and has been around for long enough to know the difference between the past and the new format, doesn't think the idea is great at all. 

Zverev: I think all the players loved the old Masters format…

During his appearance on the Nothing Major Show, the German tennis star noted that Masters tournaments are mandatory and that seven of the nine tournaments from the category last for more than a week. Then, the three-time Grand Slam finalist declared Monte Carlo and Paris as "the best two weeks on the ATP Tour."

“I mean, I won it, which was even more awesome for me, but you get there, you play your five matches, and you get out of there. You do not have to stick around or practice in between matches. That is how Masters events used to be and I think all the players loved it. Now the ATP has made four mandatory 500 events for you to play, which used to be three, now it’s four. So you don’t get under 20 events except if you are pulling out of the big events," Zverev added.

To Zverev's defense, some of his colleagues have also spoken out against the new format, arguing that there is no need for a Masters tournament to take longer than a week and that it only makes the calendar harder. But on the other side, some also defended the new format, arguing that a usual day off between matches helps a lot to regenerate for the next match. 

Meanwhile, Zverev is playing at the ongoing 1000-level event in Toronto, where he is due to meet Francisco Cerundolo in the round-of-16.

“It Hasn’t Been Great” – Pegula Bothered by ‘Sloppy” Tennis

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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.”

Swiatek Powers Past Lys in Montreal, Setting Round of 16 Clash with Tauson

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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.

Tauson took out Yuliia Starodubtseva, 6-3 6-0.

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.

More to follow…

Anisimova Annihilates Raducanu in Dominant Montreal Performance

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By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 1, 2025
Photo credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty

The rematch was a mismatch.

Crackling highly charged drives, Amanda Anisimova jolted Emma Raducanu backward like a woman stricken by surges of static electricity.

In a brilliant performance of power tennis, Anisimova routed Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 in a 64-minute thrashing to roll into the Montreal round of 16.

Amanda Anisimova

It was Anisimova’s first win over Raducanu in three meetings as she avenged a 6-1, 6-3 loss to the talented Briton in front of home fans in Miami in March.

In that match, Anisimova was bothered by a left wrist issue.

Tonight, Anisimova strong-armed Raducanu with disarming drives from the first point.

The Wimbledon finalist whipped deep strikes persistently pushing Raducanu corner to corner. Anisimova broke twice in a row charging out to a 4-1 lead.

Holding for the first time 28 minutes into the match, Raducanu made a push going up love-30 in the American’s ensuing service game. Anisimova shoved her right back into place, blistering a backhand winner down the line that lashing an ace down the T as part of a four-point run to hold for 5-2. 

Even when Raducanu hit her spot on serve, Anisimova was unleashing whiplash returns near the lines. A biting backhand return down the line gave the American a second set point. 

Anisimova turned her hips and shoulders into a jarring return sealing a one-set lead with her third break of the set. Anisimova hit 12 winners—nine more than Raducanu—and played much of the 40-minute opener off her front foot. 

That opening set was just a prelude to the powerful combinations Anisimova administered in the secodn set.

The fifth-seeded Anisimova won eight straight points to ignite a second-set surge that saw her snatch a 5-0 lead.

It wasn’t that Raducanu even played poorly, an oppressive Anisimova barely gave the Briton an opportunity to play at all. Raducanu held at 30 to deny a second-set bagel.

On a day when defending champion Jessica Pegula was upset by former US Open semifinalist Anastasija Sevastova, the 2024 finalist Anisimova was in cruise control.

Anisimova served out a commanding 64-minute conquest at love firing one final forehand winner crosscourt. The pair embraced at net afterward with both women sharing a smile over Anisimova’s brilliance.

Doha champion Anisimova will face Elina Svitolina for a quarterfinal spot.

The 10th-seeded Svitolina swept Washington, DC finalist Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-1 breaking five times in a 55-minute dissection.

Carlos Alcaraz reveals secrets of his incredible Roland Garros win over Jannik Sinner

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Carlos Alcaraz

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. 

Carlos Alcaraz, Roland Garros 2025

Carlos Alcaraz, Roland Garros 2025© Stream screenshot

 

"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. 

Montreal: Emma Raducanu gets dismantled in 3R, while Iga Swiatek easily wins

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Amanda Anisimova

Emma Raducanu is out of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal after being crushed 2-6 1-6 by Amanda Anisimova, while Iga Swiatek extended her winning streak to nine matches after making light work of Eva Lys 6-2 6-2.

Anisimova, who was beaten by Raducanu earlier this year at the Australian Open and Miami, came out determined to make a statement early on and she did so by breaking the Briton three times in the opening set. The second set was a similar story as the fifth-seeded American took the opening five games before serving out for the win in the seventh game.

In the Swiatek and Lys match, there wasn't any drama as the six-time Grand Slam champion got the job done routinely by claiming two breaks in each set. It was a clinical performance from the Polish tennis star, who faced only one break and saved it.

In the Montreal round-of-16, Anisimova will battle against Elina Svitolina, who beat Anna Kalinskaya. On the other side, Swiatek will fight against Clara Tauson – the same rival she beat en route to winning Wimbledon.

Swiatek's reaction to beating Lys

Going into their Montreal meeting, Swiatek and Lys had met twice and the Pole won both of those meetings – 6-1 6-1 in 2022 Stuttgart, 6-0 6-1 at this year's Australian Open. While the Pole gave no chance to Lys again, she insisted that it wasn't really an easy match.

“It’s always fun here. It was a solid match so I’m happy to have a chance to play another one here. The match was different from how we played each other last time. I just focused on myself and knew what my plan was, but Eva played some great down-the-lines and sometimes was really able to use her wrist and play some fast balls. It wasn’t easy, but I’m happy I just did my job," Swiatek said after her win.

Ex-Slam champ finds it 'unbelievable' how Coco Gauff has been surviving in Montreal

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Broadcasting (NEC)

Former three-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport says it is "unbelievable" that Coco Gauff has been winning matches in Montreal so far this week with her "C-level tennis."

So far, Gauff is two out of two at this year's Canadian Open. But both of her opening two matches were an absolute slugfest. Against Danielle Collins, the top seed sprayed a shocking 23 double faults and 74 unforced errors but still won 7-5 4-6 7-6 (2). In her following match, the two-time Grand Slam winner was down by a set a break – she fired 14 double faults – but somehow still found a way to beat Veronika Kudermetova 4-6 7-5 6-2.

As you could notice, Gauff's serving has been disastrous this week. But the top-seeded American is still alive and set to fight against Victoria Mboko for a place in the Montreal quarterfinal.

Davenport on Gauff's display in Montreal: Unbelievable she wins with her C-level tennis

“It was interesting she kept looking down at her grip when she was serving. It looked like they were trying to make some changes with the serve. She was not comfortable with it yet. It looks like they know it’s a problem and she didn’t have the confidence with it last night. Her toss was all over the place. But she still wins. It’s unbelievable her ability to figure out ways to win when she is playing, honestly, C-level tennis out there. She did a fantastic job managing her emotions," Davenport said on Tennis Channel.

Gauff's serving issues have been a major topic for the past two years. At times, the 21-year-old serves better consistently and that's when she usually does well. However, there are also periods when she simply can't catch any rhythm on her serve and that usually leads to some shock losses.

In Montreal, Gauff twice avoided picking a surprise defeat. It remains to be seen how she plays against Mboko.