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Double blow in Montreal as Zverev, FAA exit

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Alexander Zverev and local favourite Felix Auger-Aliassime both made early exits on Wednesday from the Montreal Masters, leaving the event scratching for interest.

With Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic non-starters, the loss of the top two seeds was not a welcome blow.

French open winner Zvererv, a month removed from his final against Sinner in London, was ambushed 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-4 by determined Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.

Defeat by the No. 69 marked a poor start to the US Open run-up for Zverev.

FAA puled the plug a few hours earlier after a back injury sustained in training failed to heal.

“I started having pain Monday. It was quite sudden. I was training here for two weeks, and I had zero problems. 

“The timing is tough for it to happen here. I was lucky to get an extra day to prepare, as I was ready to play Tuesday night.

“I thought that day by day things would get better, but I tried to go on court today.  I basically couldn’t serve really. It was impossible for me to think about even competing.”

The world No. 4 drawcard threw event bosses into a panic.

“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.”

There was a win for holder and fifth seed Ben Shelton who erased a lae deficit to defeat US compatriot Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 7-5, winning six of the last seven games.

Shelton has won seven straight matches in Canada.

“Defending is tough, i had to get over pre-tournament nerves but I got my first straight-set win of the summer season. Jenson is a nightmare match-up for me, to win it is a huge positive,” the winner said.

Stefanos Tsitsipas lost to Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca 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 and quickly managed nine aces among his 31 winners.

“The younger Joao would have lost his mind,” the winner said. “But I’m more mature now. I knew it would be difficult for me after a few weeks of not playing.

“I just kept going, felt good. At 6-5 I was ready to serve for the match again. I’ve played all of the (ranking) top five, so I have the experience,” added the 19-year-old. “That has helped me use my mental strength.”

Fonseca next plays ninth seed Casper Ruud, who beat Juan Manuel Cerundolo, 6-1, 6-2.-

Main photo:- Tallon Griekspoor: upset Alexander Zverev – by ATPTour.com

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ATP

Alcaraz withdraws from Cincinnati, USO in danger

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Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday pulled out of the Cincinnati Masters, with the injured Spaniard putting his entire ATP season at high risk.

The former world No. 1 who has been off court with a wrist injury since mid-April now looks to be in serious doubt for the US Open starting on August 31.

The Spaniard’s lone hope of perhaps getting some match play would be to take a wild card – if fit – for the 250-series ATP event in Winston-Salem North Carolina and playing the week before the start of the Open.

The withdrawal comes as Italian media report that world No. 1 jannik Sinner, whose hot-weather fitness was called into question by an early loss at Roland Garros, has undergone more medical tests. presumably with the hope of pulling up as fresh as possible for the Cincinnati event.

Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz winning in Cincy in 2025 – by ISF

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Tsitsipas has no regrets about dumping father as coach

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Stefanos Tsitsipas has no regrets at finally parting ways with his father as coach, with the former world No. 3 continuing rebuilding work on his game at the Montreal Masters.

The Greek who now stands just outside the top 50 after a month’s-long slump in form, had to go through qualifying in Canada, but on Tuesday reached the second round 6-4, 6-4 over Martin Damm, Jr,, namesake son of a former Czech player.

Tsitsipas is working with “outsiders” from the Mouratoglou academy after sacking sometimes-overbearing father Apostolos for a second time.

This time, the parting seems to have taken root, with a quick dividend coming in the form of a title last month on clay in Gstaad.

“it’s a it’s a chapter that should have started a long time ago. I guess I was too patient with my time and too nice with handling certain things, to take so much time to proceed with the change. But it’s how life works,” the player said.

“Certain things come at a certain time, I’m very Buddhist in that sort of philosophy. 

“Now we are here, and we are doing it the way I like it. I want it to be done, I want it to be done with a coach that I am happy with right now… someone that I trust.”

Tsitipas said his new group – which often includes his mother Juia – “want the best for me. That’s the most important, working with those that will bleed for you.”

The former top 10 regular and two-time Grand Slam runner-up said he had a lot to learn as he went through tournament qualifying rounds for the first time in years.

“I haven’t played qualis in the Masters 1000 in a very, very long time or even never before. So I don’t really know how it works, if you’re in qualifying, if you have to actually sign in, which I was not aware of.

“But we’re here now. I’m glad I’m getting to play my second round match, and I’ve come a long way. I’d say that.

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Zverev says ATP bonus money no biggie for Djokovic

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Financial fallout from skipping the Montreal Masters which began on Sunday with rain interruptions likely means little to absent drawcard Novak Djokovic, who has joined world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and injury victim Carlos Alcaraz in missing the Canadian date.

The late withdrawals from the trio of household names has hit Canadian tennis bosses where it hurts and they have called for financial and other sanctions on miscreant players.

Top seed Zverev, the world No. 2 who followed up his Roland Garros title in June with a July runner-up spot at Wimbledon against Sinner, said missing year-end bonus payments would mean absolutely nothing to the multimillionaires of the sport.

“You think Novak will care if he gets a bigger bonus? I think the guy has – if I would have to guess, the guy is north of 400 million in his bank account,” the Montreal top seed said.

“I’m not sure he would care about 50,000 (dollars) more or less.”

He added that rankings also mean little to a player who has been-there, done- that and won more than USD 190 million in prize money alone at age 39.

“I don’t think he cares about his ranking either,” Zverev added, suggesting that the controversial new format of 12-day Masters is a drain on players.

“If (the tournament calendar) goes to the old (system) and we would play one-week Masters events,” the 29-year-old said.

“If you’re forcing us to be away for two and a half, three weeks during Grand Slams and the same then goes for Masters events, you can’t force us to play. Sorry, that’s nonsense.”

Zverev suggested that the current calendar needs a major re-think.

.”I think (the player pullouts) are a result of the two-week Masters event. It’s just too long for some players, too much before the US Open.

“I used to play more 500 events, 250 events when the Masters were shorter, but now I don’t do that anymore just because of time spent away and time spent on tournaments.”

He added: “My team and I had a thought also of maybe skipping Montreal, but then we decided to play it. I need to play matches. I need to play tournaments.
“I don’t think maybe I’ll play my best tennis here, but the result of playing here, I think I’ll play better in Cincinnati and then hopefully my best tennis in New York.”

Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with Coupe des Mousquetaires after winning Men’s final – Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd

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