British No. 2 Cameron Norrie added another comfortable win to his résumé at the National Bank Open in Montreal, earning a third‑round clash with Alex De Minaur, the husband of Katie Boulter. After ending a six‑match losing streak with a run to the Los Cabos semi‑finals the week before, Norrie continued his resurgence by defeating Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse in straight sets.
Ranked four places below the world No. 33 Buse, the 30‑year‑old Brit dominated the encounter, posting a 6‑3 6‑3 victory in just 89 minutes.
He saved three of the four break points he faced and converted four of the eleven opportunities he created, showcasing a blend of solid serving and aggressive baseline play. Analyst Annabel Croft praised Norrie's performance on Sky Sports Tennis, noting that his experience and tactical awareness gave him a clear edge.
"Norrie was too experienced, too much game for his opponent. He applied the pressure when he needed to and defended extremely well with depth. We also saw him coming forward a lot, asking a lot of questions.
His serve went a little off in the second set but he got it back on track," Croft said. In a separate match, 19‑year‑old Brazilian João Fonseca made a stylish return to the tour after a break since Wimbledon. Facing former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, Fonseca produced a composed 7‑6 (7‑3) 7‑5 win. Speaking after the match, he reflected on his growth: "I think João from last year would've lost his mind.
I'm a more mature João now. It's been a couple of weeks without playing, so I knew, serving for the match, I would be a little bit more tense. I felt good, played some good returns, and then put the pressure on him. I think I needed that break at 5‑5." He added that competing against top‑level opponents such as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton and Novak Djokovic over the past two years has sharpened his mental toughness and confidence, describing those experiences as "one of my biggest weapons" for his development.
The tournament saw several major upsets. After No. 2 seed Félix Auger‑Aliassime withdrew, top seed and Wimbledon finalist Alexander Zverev was stunned by Tallon Griekspoor, who won 6‑7 (3‑7) 6‑2 6‑4. Griekspoor, who has been working intensively in recent weeks, said, "I've been working harder and harder lately and I've reached a good level in practice over the past couple of weeks.
I felt like it was just a matter of time. This one is special, especially against a player like Sascha." Griekspoor's fellow Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp also produced a headline‑grabbing result, beating Daniil Medvedev 6‑3 7‑6 (7‑5).
Van de Zandschulp, playing his first ATP Tour match since Medvedev's third‑round exit at Wimbledon, explained his breakthrough: "I have never beaten him before, but today I had to change it up, go out of my comfort zone, and I think I did it well." British No. 5 Jacob Fearnley, who earned his place in the main draw through qualifying, was eliminated by world No. 17 Jakub Mensik in a three‑set battle (6‑3 3‑6 6‑3).
Meanwhile, home favourite Ben Shelton continued his strong form, dispatching Jenson Brooksby 6‑3 7‑5 to keep his title defence hopes alive. Shelton took the first set comfortably, but Brooksby rallied to lead 4‑1 in the second.
Shelton raised his intensity, broke twice, and closed the set 7‑5, avoiding a deciding third set. He will meet 31st seed Zizou Bergs of Belgium in the round of 32. Casper Ruud, sporting a fresh haircut, displayed his usual power by overwhelming Juan Manuel Cerún dolo 6‑1 6‑2.
In a surprise upset, Argentina's Thiago Agustín Tirante shocked the crowd with a 7‑5 6‑3 win over Taylor Fritz, who had been struggling after a physically demanding title run at the ATP 500 event in Washington the previous week. On the women's side, American rising star Coco Gauff recorded her first win since Wimbledon, defeating Kayla Day 6‑2 7‑5 in Toronto. Gauff joked after the match, "I saw the new Spider‑Man film. I was going to do a joke and say a big spoiler but I'm not going to do that," showing her typical blend of confidence and humor.
Kazakhstani champion 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 but also commit 58 unforced errors, including 16 double faults. Rybakina will next face Ann Li, who advanced by beating Canada's Kayla Cross 7‑6 (7‑2) 6‑3.
Overall, the Montreal event has become a fertile ground for both established stars and emerging talents. The early exits of top seeds like Zverev and the withdrawal of Auger‑Aliassime have opened the draw, promising a thrilling second week of competition. Fans can continue to follow live action via Sky Sports, the NOW streaming service, or the Sky Sports app, which offers expanded coverage and additional live sport at no extra charge for subscribers. The tournament's mix of seasoned veterans, hungry youngsters, and surprising upsets ensures that the excitement will only intensify as the field narrows toward the quarter‑finals and beyond.