ATP
Frustration reigns as Montreal player field collapses
Tennis Canada has called for a re-think of the crowded summer ATP hardcourt calendar which has left the Montreal Masters bosses presiding over a ghost tournament after only four days of pay.
With world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam hero Novak Djokovic choosing a financial wrist-slap over competing just three week after Wimbledon and all Canadian players done and dusted, the frustration level is rising.
The event lost top seeded Roland Garros Alexander Zverev in his first match, while Canadian Feliz Auger-Aliassime, the second seed and major home hope was unable to make his start due to a back injury.
Previously, several other players returned with physical problems and Brit jack draper blinked back the tears as the oft-injured player failed again to get a comeback effort off the ground.
A tearful Jack Draper as the third set drifts away from him in his return from injury is first round match.
Canadian officials vented on Thursday, calling for as-yet unspecified changes in order to give their pre-US Open event a fair go.
“I don’t think it’s too many tournaments. I think the big change overall it’s the fact that -you know, there has been small changes year after year,” Tennis Canada official Guillaume Marx said.
“That’s making a little bit of an impact, which is Wimbledon one week later, which is us one week earlier, no switch anymore with the (WTA) girls and Cincinnati.
“At the end we’re a little bit more exposed (schedule-wise, with the US Open starting within a fortnight of the controversial Montreal mid-week final).
“At the moment we don’t deliver to have the best players committing to the tournament. We ave to find a solution, especially with the short summer (schedule).”
The official added that top players who miss Canada to rest for the Open are not particularly to blame, but added:
“I don’t believe the players are happy to skip a tournament; they have their priorities and you can accept that the schedule is tough. It’s tough.
“They have to spend two months in North America. They have their schedule and they need to manage themselves.
“(But) we need to defend the tournament, and we need the best players to come to Montreal or Toronto. That’s for sure.
“And we need to work towards that. It’s that simple.”
Main photo:- Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are no shows in Canada – by Roger Parker ISF
Laver Cup debutant Lerner Tien showed he’s fast on the rebound as the American took inspiration from coach Andre Agassi to level the Laver cup score a 3-3 with a Saturday win in London over Flavio Cobolli.
Tien, at 20 a young gun on the Rest of the World side, defeated Italy’s Roland Garros finalist 6-3, 2-6, 10-7.
With Day 2 win counting two points each, the victory in 97 minutes put teammates Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz on level-pegging heading into their later singles tests against Europe.
World has won four of the previous five titles in the exhibition run by Roger Federer’s management group in honor of the Swiss icons tennis idol, Rod Laver..
Tien, who won the spring Geneva ATP title, said he has to make a major reset after losing the second set to Cobolli, fighting back to win the match tiebreak third set at the O2.
“I can reset pretty easily,” the No. 13 said. “In this format, the score does not matter so much. Everyone always had a chance.
“To put the second set behind me was pretty good.”
Tien dropped serve twice in the second set after winning the first. But his deciding set fightback made the difference for his side.
“I just went into lockdown, there are some moments where the ball if just there to go for it. It was still tough to get through.”
The youngster gave full credit to Agassi for his inspiration. “Andre has given me more knowledge than everyone combined. It’s good to have a voice like that on the sidelines encouraging you. It’s very helpful.”
Casper Ruud and Rafa Jodar combined to start and finish Friday’s opening stage of the Laver Cup as their victories sent Europe into a 2-1 lead over Rest of the World in London.
Norway’s Ruud began day 1 play with a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 10-8 defeat of Argentina Francisco Cerundolo while Spanish prodigy Jodar finished off the programme 6-2, 6-4 ovr Alexander Bublik in a winning debut at the team exhibition conceptualised by Roger Federer in 2017 to hour is tennis hero Rod Laver.
Jodar, who turned 20 only days ago, spent 84 minutes in adding a point for Europe coached by French legend Yannick Noah and earning his own 38th match win of this breakthrough season.
“It was a pleasure to represent Team Europe for the first time. I felt great on court. I played against a tough player… I think the atmosphere was great, so thank you everyone for coming” the winner said.
The unpredictable Bublik was unable to match it with the Spanish youngster ranked 14th
Jodar won eight of his final nine service points for the win. Jodar and Carlos Alcaraz combined for a one-two punch in the concluding doubles rubber, defeating Bublik and Taylor Fritz to end the day with a 3-1 European lead
Main photo:- Casper Ruud opens the scoring for Team Europe – ISF Ltd
Jannik Sinner on Friday announced another injury setback, with the world No. 1 withdrawing from the September start of the China Open in Beijing.
The Italian who has not played since defending his Wimbledon title in July, has been on the injury list ever since, missing the Masters events in Canada and Cincinnati and skipping the US Open.
Sinner won the Beijing event a year ago and could now be in doubt for the Shanghai Masters next month.
“Hello everyone, Jannik here,” Sinner posted on social media.
“I want to send the warmest greetings to the Chinese fans. I’m very sorry to announce that I won’t be able to play in Beijing this year.
“My knee is not there, where I would like [it] to be, and I am not ready to compete yet. But I will do everything possible to be there on court as soon as I can.
“What I miss the most is, of course, the tournament, the fans, and the atmosphere. I’ve had a great, great time in the past, winning the title also last year, and I’m very disappointed that I cannot defend it this year, but I’m very happy to come back next year.
“So I wish everyone a very good tournament and I’ll see you all very soon on court again.”
This season has been a roller coaster for the 24-year-old who won five Masters 1000 titles in a row in 2026: Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome.
Main Photo:- Jannik Sinner won Beijing trophy in 2023. – by ISF Ltd
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