Mass Exit of Tennis Stars from the Montreal Tournament

The top two seeds were eliminated at the $1 million ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament in Montreal, as German third seed Alexander Zverev was knocked out in the second round by Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor, while Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime withdrew due to injury.

Zverev, the 2022 Roland Garros champion, fell to Griekspoor after the Dutchman overturned a deficit to win 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4. Montreal native Auger-Aliassime was forced to withdraw before his match after suffering a back injury during training.

Fourth-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 champion, also exited, losing to fellow Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 7-6 (7-5). Medvedev failed to reach his 100th Masters title victory, suffering a heavy defeat in his opening match in Canada, plagued by 40 unforced errors.

Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas was also eliminated in the second round, losing to 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca 6-7 (3-7), 5-7.

Meanwhile, American Ben Shelton, the 10th seed, successfully began his title defense by defeating compatriot Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 7-5. Shelton, the fifth seed in this tournament, will face Belgian Zizou Bergs in the third round. Bergs advanced after defeating Argentina’s Sebastian Baez 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Norway’s Casper Ruud easily defeated Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-1, 6-2, setting up a meeting with Joao Fonseca. American Taylor Fritz, the ninth seed and winner of last week’s Washington tournament, lost to Argentina’s Thiago Agustín Tirante 5-7, 3-6.

On the women’s side, second-seeded Kazakh Elena Rybakina reached the round of 16 at the $1 million WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto by defeating Australia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.

Rybakina will face American Ann Li in the next round. Li advanced after defeating local favorite Canadian Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.

American Jessica Pegula also secured her spot in the next round, defeating Poland’s Magda Linette 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The third seed in both the world rankings and this tournament will play Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova. Rakhimova advanced after defeating Czech Karolina Muchova, winning the first two sets 7-6 (7-1), 6-0, before Muchova retired in the third set while trailing 2-5.

Meanwhile, fifth-seeded Russian Mira Andreeva, the Roland Garros champion, easily defeated Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-2. Japan’s Naomi Osaka defeated Hungary’s Anna Bondar 6-2, 6-4, setting up a next-round match against Belgian Elise Mertens.