Top seed Carlos Alcaraz may face Holger Rune within the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open, an ATP 1000 Masters occasion, as per the draw of the match schedule to be performed from August 7-13 in Toronto.
World No. 1 Alcaraz had defeated Dane Rune within the quarterfinals earlier than his thrilling five-set victory over Novak Djokovic within the Wimbledon ultimate final month. Since then, the 20-year-old Spaniard has featured solely on the Hopman Cup.
Alcaraz has been awarded a bye in Toronto and begins the preparation for his US Open title protection within the second spherical the place he may face rising American Ben Shelton. He may then be up in opposition to Fifteenth-seeded Pole Hubert Hurkacz within the spherical of 16 earlier than a possible last-eight conflict with Rune, the fifth seed.
Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, seeded fourth, is in Alcaraz’s half of the draw and the 2 may face one another within the semifinals. Seventh-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner can be within the Spaniard’s half however Sinner may first have a troublesome match in opposition to compatriot Matteo Berrettini within the second spherical.
World No. 2 Djokovic withdrew from the match as a result of fatigue. He will, nonetheless, play each singles and doubles at Cincinnati Masters earlier than his return to US Open after two years. The 36-year-old Serbian had missed final 12 months’s version since he couldn’t enter the US which required the worldwide travellers to be vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19. However, the US authorities ended the vaccine mandate on May 11, clearing the best way for Djokovic’s entry.
Defending champion Pablo Carreno Busta, Australian Nick Kyrgios and Canadian Denis Shapovalov additionally pulled out as a result of accidents.
Like Alcaraz, Tsitsipas, Rune and Sinner within the high half, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and Taylor Fritz – second, third, sixth and eighth seeds respectively within the backside half, have additionally obtained byes within the opening spherical.
Former World No. 1 Medvedev may face his first actual problem in opposition to Lorenzo Musetti, the Sixteenth-seeded Italian, within the spherical of 16 earlier than a doable quarterfinal in opposition to Fritz.
Ruud could possibly be up in opposition to Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka within the second spherical earlier than probably going through Thirteenth-seeded German Alexander Zverev within the spherical of 16 in a rematch of this 12 months’s French Open semifinal.
Here are a number of the first-round matches to be careful:-
- [15] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs Alexander Bublik (KAZ)
- Christopher Eubanks (USA) vs Gael Monfils (FRA)
- [14] Borna Coric (CRO) vs Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
- Andy Murray (GBR) vs Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)
- [9] Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs[WC] Milos Raonic (CAN)
- [11] Cameron Norrie (GBR) vs Alex de Minaur (AUS)
- [13] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs Tallon Griekspoor (NED)
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com