British No. 2 Cameron Norrie added another comfortable win to his résumé at the National Bank Open in Montreal, advancing to a third‑round clash with Alex De Minaur, the newly‑wed husband of Katie Boulter. After ending a six‑match losing streak that had plagued him through the Los Cabos semi‑finals the previous week, Norrie opened his Canadian campaign with a solid victory over Camilo Ugo Carabelli and then turned his attention to Peru's Ignacio Buse.
Ranked four places below the world No. 33 Buse, Norrie displayed why his higher ranking is well‑earned, cruising to a 6‑3, 6‑3 triumph in just 89 minutes.
He weathered three of the four break points presented to him and capitalised on four of his eleven opportunities on serve, showcasing a blend of resilience and efficient aggression. Sky Sports analyst Annabel Croft praised Norrie's performance on the network’s tennis show, noting, "He was simply more experienced and had a richer shot‑making arsenal than his opponent. He knew when to apply pressure, defended with depth, and wasn’t shy about stepping forward and dictating play.
Even when his serve dipped a bit in the second set, he quickly found his rhythm again." In a separate match that marked his first tour‑level appearance since Wimbledon, 19‑year‑old Brazilian João Fonseca stunned former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas with a straight‑sets win, 7‑6 (7‑3), 7‑5. "Last year I would have lost my mind in that situation," Fonseca reflected in the post‑match interview. "Now I’m a more mature player. After a couple of weeks off, I felt a little tension serving for the match, but I managed to stay composed, hit solid returns and put the pressure on him.
The break at 5‑5 was crucial." Fonseca also highlighted the value of his recent experiences against the sport’s elite. "This season I’ve faced the big names – Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, Shelton, Djokovic – and each bout has taught me something about my mental strength, which I now consider one of my biggest weapons. Those two years of exposure have been vital for my development," he added. The tournament’s draw took another dramatic turn when top seed Alexander Zverev, a Wimbledon finalist, fell to Tallon Griekspoor 6‑7 (3‑7), 6‑2, 6‑4, just hours after No.
2 seed Felix Auger‑Aliassime withdrew. Griekspoor, who said he had been working harder than ever in recent weeks, felt the victory was inevitable: "I’ve been putting in the work and my practice level has risen dramatically. It was just a matter of time before I could translate that into a win, especially against a player of Sascha’s calibre." Dutch compatriot Botic van de Zandschulp also produced a statement win, defeating Daniil Medvedev 6‑3, 7‑6 (7‑5).
It was Medvedev’s first ATP Tour match since his third‑round exit at Wimbledon, and van de Zandschulp admitted he had to step out of his comfort zone to secure the upset: "I had never beaten him before, but today I changed my tactics, took more risks, and it paid off." British No. 5 Jacob Fearnley, who earned his place in the main draw through qualifying, saw his run end in the second round after a 6‑3, 3‑6, 6‑3 loss to world No. 17 Jakub Mensik.
Home favourite Ben Shelton, the 2025 champion, looked poised to defend his title after a 6‑3, 7‑5 victory over Jenson Brooksby. Shelton dominated the first set, but Brooksby rallied in the second, taking a 4‑1 lead. Shelton responded by raising his intensity, breaking twice and sealing the set 7‑5, thereby avoiding a deciding third set.
He will now meet 31st seed Zizou Bergs of Belgium in the round of 32. Casper Ruud, sporting a fresh haircut, continued his strong form by dispatching Juan Manuel Cerúnólo 6‑1, 6‑2, demonstrating the power and precision that have become his trademarks. In a surprising upset, Argentine youngster Thiago Agustín Tirante defeated Taylor Fritz 7‑5, 6‑3.
Fritz, who had lifted his biggest title at the ATP 500 event in Washington just four weeks earlier, appeared physically taxed, which Tirante exploited with aggressive baseline play and relentless pressure. Across the border in Toronto, American star Coco Gauff recorded her first win since Wimbledon, beating Kayla Day 6‑2, 7‑5. After the match, Gauff joked about avoiding spoilers for the new Spider‑Man film, saying, "I saw the movie, I was going to make a big joke about it, but I won’t spoil it for anyone." Russian powerhouse Elena Rybakina opened her campaign with a gritty three‑set victory over Daria Kasatkina, 6‑3, 5‑7, 6‑4, despite a chaotic serving performance that saw her fire 58 winners alongside 58 unforced errors, including 16 double faults. Rybakina’s resilience paid off, and she will next face Ann Li, who advanced by beating Canada’s Kayla Cross 7‑6 (7‑2), 6‑3.
The Montreal event continues to deliver surprises and high‑quality tennis, with many matches available for live streaming via Sky Sports, NOW, or the Sky Sports app. Fans can expect further thrilling encounters as the tournament progresses toward its later stages, with the draw now wide open after the early exits of several top seeds.