Zverev, Auger-Aliassime exit star-short Montreal Masters
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Alexander Zverev (left) was beaten by Tallon Griekspoor in Montreal.
PHOTO: AFP
MONTREAL – The ATP Montreal Masters lost its top two seeds in the space of a few hours on Aug 5 as Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime both exited the field.
Top seed and world No. 3 Zverev, the 2026 French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up, was toppled by Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, who rallied for a 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4 second-round upset.
“I didn’t expect to play well,” Zverev said. “I also didn’t expect to play this bad, to be honest.”
Montreal native Auger-Aliassime had to withdraw before his scheduled night match after injuring his back during training on Aug 3.
“It was quite sudden. I was training here for two weeks and I had zero problems,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Just the timing is tough.
“I thought that day by day things would get better, but I tried to go on court today, I tried to warm up, and then I basically couldn’t serve really, so it was impossible for me to think about even competing.”
Joining his fellow elites on the sidelines was fourth seed Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 champion, who went out 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) to Botic van de Zandschulp, another Dutch spoiler.
Medvedev missed out on achieving his 100th career victory at the Masters level as he lost in his Canada opener, weighed down by 40 unforced errors.
Tournament officials already were fuming at an event in which world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic were high-profile absentees even before the start.
“I’m not going to lie, we were hoping that Felix was going to win at least a few matches here in Montreal,” tournament director Valerie Tetreault said.
“He’s definitely the player everybody was talking about and people wanted to know when he was going to play.”
Zverev was competing for the first time since his Wimbledon final loss to Sinner and began to fade in the second set against world No. 69 Griekspoor.
“This was probably the worst match of the season,” Zverev said. “This one was up there as the worst. Tennis comes with ups and downs. I’m very happy with how the last couple of months were. Now it’s about getting back to that form.”
Griekspoor came within a point of a 5-2 lead in the third set, but found himself square at 4-4 as he lost serve.
But the underdog broke the seed straight back and served out the match in one of his biggest victories a game later.
“This is one of the most special wins I’ve ever had,” he said. “I’ve had a tough season. I was close to throwing in the towel a few times. But I’ve been working harder in practice and reaching a good level.
“I felt it was about time for a big win.”
Fifth-seeded defending champion Ben Shelton rallied from 4-1 down in his second set to overcome US compatriot Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 7-5, winning six of the last seven games for his 28th victory of the season.
‘A huge positive’
The son of a former ATP pro has won seven straight matches in Canada, taking 96 minutes to go through to the third round. He is 15-3 against countrymen since the start of 2025.
“Defending is tough. I had to get over pre-tournament nerves but I got my first straight-set win of the summer season,” Shelton said.
“Jenson is a nightmare match-up for me. To win it is a huge positive.”
After earning the first Montreal win of his career on Aug 4, Stefanos Tsitsipas was eliminated, the Greek former world No. 3 falling 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 to Joao Fonseca in the second round.
The 19-year-old Brazilian winner was competing for the first time in a month after an early Wimbledon exit and fired nine aces among his 31 winners.
Tsitsipas broke Fonseca when he served for the match to reach 5-5, but a further break of the two-time Grand Slam finalist put Fonseca back in control, the South American firing an ace on match point a game later.
“I’ve played all of the top five,” Fonseca said.
“That has helped me use my mental strength.”
Fonseca next plays ninth seed Casper Ruud, who avenged a loss earlier this season to Juan Manuel Cerundolo, advancing 6-1, 6-2 thanks in part to 16 forehand winners.
On a day when fans were issued heat warnings due to 29 deg C temperatures, 11th seed Lorenzo Musetti, who missed 2½ months of play after a Rome injury last May, defeated Colombian qualifier Nicolas Mejia 7-6 (10-8), 6-2.
British No. 2 Cameron Norrie beat Ignacio Buse of Paraguay 6-3, 6-3 while Washington winner Taylor Fritz fell 7-5, 6-3 to Thiago Tirante of Argentina. AFP
