Alcaraz Open Hard Court Summer As ATP Canadian Open Favorite; Former Champs Medvedev, Zverev In Chase

Spanish men have won the Canadian Open three of the last four years, and with both Rafael Nadal and defending champion Pablo Carreno Busta both sidelined with injury, the hopes for continued success for Spain will rest on the capable shoulders of Carlos Alcaraz.

The 20-year-old makes his Toronto debut and his debut as a Wimbledon champion this week in Canada. The top-seeded Alcaraz is hoping for a better result than last year when he lost in the first round to Tommy Paul.

“I came this year to change it, hopefully to have a good run, better than last year,” Alcaraz told the ATP on Saturday. “But one year later, I think I learned a lot from that situation on how to deal with the pressure, how to deal everything.

“I have been playing in great stadiums in great rounds and I’m fighting for great things. I think that helped me a lot to grow up as a player, as a person, and I think one year later, I’m totally different.”

And he explained he’s still on a high after Wimbledon.

“I have the trophy in my living room over there that every time that I have lunch, have dinner with my family, I see the trophy,” Alcaraz added. “It’s something that I [don’t want] to forget.”

Alcaraz will be part of 18 of the Top 20 men playing in Canada this week with the lone omissions being Novak Djokovic who is taking a week off before planning to return next week in Cincinnati and the injured Karen Khachanov.

Here are the Top 16 seeds: 1 Carlos Alcaraz, 2 Daniil Medvedev, 3 Casper Ruud, 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, 5 Holger Rune, 6 Andrey Rublev, 7 Jannik Sinner, 8 Taylor Fritz, 9 Frances Tiafoe, 10 Felix Auger Aliassime, 11 Cameron Norrie, 12 Tommy Paul, 13 Alexander Zverev, 14 Borna Coric, 15 Hubert Hurkacz, 16 Lorenzo Musetti.

CARLOS ALCARAZ QUARTER
Seeds: 1 Alcaraz, 5 Rune, 12 Paul, 15 Hurkacz
Floaters: Cerundolo, Bublik, Shelton, Kecmanovic, Ruusuvuori, Zapata Miralles, Giron, Schwartzman, Garin, Galarneau
Notable openers: Ben Shelton-Bernabe Zapata Miralles, Alexander Bublik-Hubert Hurkacz, Tommy Paul-Diego Schwartzman
Projected 3R matches: 1 Alcaraz – 15 Hurkacz, 12 Paul – 5 Rune
Notes: Alcaraz will have a tough road with potentially big-hitting lefty Ben Shelton in his opener, then 2022 finalist Hurbert Hurkacz followed by rival and fellow 20-year-old Holger Rune in the quarters. Hurkacz will have to deal with Bublik while Rune could see Paul.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS QUARTER
Seeds: 4 Tsitsipas, 7 Sinner, 10 Auger Aliassime, 14 Coric
Floaters: Dimitrov, Korda, Etcheverry, Berrettini, Murray, Sonego, Eubanks, Barrere, Purcell, Monfils
Notable openers: Tomas Martin Etcheverry-Sebastian Korda, Grigor Dimitrov-Borna Coric, Felix Auger Aliassime-Max Purcell, Lorenzo Sonego-Andy Murray, Gregoire Barrere-Matteo Berrettini, Christopher Eubanks-Gael Monfils
Projected 3R matches: 4 Tsitsipas – 14 Coric, 10 Auger Aliassime – 7 Sinner
Notes: Stefanos Tsitsipas comes in having just won his first title in over a year in Los Cabos, and he made the Canadian final in 2018. The Greek figures to be a big player in the quarter along with Jannik Sinner. Canadian hope Felix Auger-Aliassime has been slumping while Andy Murray seems primed for an upset. Murray and Auger-Aliassime could meet in the second round as could Sinner and his countryman Matteo Berrettini. Christopher Eubanks faces Gael Monfils in a good opener.

CASPER RUUD QUARTER
Seeds: 3 Ruud, 6 Rublev, 9 Tiafoe, 13 Zverev
Floaters: Griekspoor, Davidovich Fokina, Mannarino, Lehecka, Wolf, Karatsev, Mcdonald, Nakashima, Daniel
Notable openers: Mackenzie Mcdonald-Aslan Karatsev, Alexander Zverev-Tallon Griekspoor, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina-JJ Wolf, Brandon Nakashima-Jiri Lehecka
Projected 3R matches: 6 Rublev – 9 Tiafoe, 13 Zverev – 3 Ruud
Notes: An open section could see Alexander Zverev take advantage and make another run to the final week. The German who just won Hamburg on clay is slated to meeting Washington finalist Tallon Griekspoor, then JJ Wolf with Casper Ruud possible in the third round. While Ruud-Zverev figure to go at it, so too could Frances Tiafoe and Andrey Rublev. Tiafoe, though, opens against the big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV QUARTER
Seeds: 2, Medvedev, 8 Fritz, 11 Norrie, 16 Musetti
Floaters: De Minaur, Nishioka, Jarry, Evans, Humbert, Zhang, Arnaldi, Kokkinakis, Pospisil
Notable openers: Ugo Humbert-Nicolas Jarry, Alex De Minaur-Cameron Norrie, Lorenzo Musetti-Yoshihito Nishioka
Projected 3R matches: 8 Fritz – 11 Norrie, 16 Musetti – 2 Medvedev
Notes: Former champion Daniil Medvedev looks in good shape in the bottom quarter. The 2021 winner and 2019 runner-up will have to deal with Taylor Fritz, Cameron Norrie and Lorenzo Musetti. Alex De Minaur and Nicolas Jarry could make some noise but those two are in the section with Fritz and Norrie while Medvedev could see the Italian Musetti.

The semifinals could see Carlos Alcaraz-Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud-Daniil Medvedev.

Former champions: Murray(3), Zverev, Medvedev
Former finalists: Hurkacz, Tsitsipas

Last year, Pablo Carreno Busta defeated (8) Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

LAST 10 CANADIAN OPEN CHAMPIONS/FINALS
2022 Pablo Carreno Busta d Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
2021 Daniil Medvedev d Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-3
2019 Rafael Nadal d Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-0
2018 Rafael Nadal d Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 7-6(4)
2017 Alexander Zverev d Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4
2016 Novak Djokovic d Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-5
2015 Andy Murray d Novak Djokovic 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
2014 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d Roger Federer 7-5, 7-6(3)
2013 Rafael Nadal d Milos Raonic 6-2, 6-2
2012 Novak Djokovic d Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-2

Tomorrow’s first day schedule in Toronto will see Tiafoe and Roanic in the big night match. Berrettini, Hurkacz and Paul are also featured along with Eubanks against Monfils.

MONDAY CANADIAN MASTERS SCHEDULE
CENTER COURT
Matches Start At: 11:00 am
[WC] Alexis GALARNEAU (CAN) vs Francisco CERUNDOLO (ARG)
Not Before 12:30 pm
Gregoire BARRERE (FRA) vs Matteo BERRETTINI (ITA)

Not Before 7:00 pm
[WC] Milos RAONIC (CAN) vs Frances TIAFOE (USA) [9]
[WC] Vasek POSPISIL (CAN) vs [Q] Matteo ARNALDI (ITA)

GRANDSTAND
Matches Start At: 11:00 am
Lorenzo MUSETTI (ITA) [16] vs Yoshihito NISHIOKA (JPN)
Alejandro DAVIDOVICH FOKINA (ESP) vs J.J. WOLF (USA)

Not Before 2:30 pm
Alexander BUBLIK (KAZ) vs Hubert HURKACZ (POL) [15]

Not Before 4:00 pm
[PR] Gael MONFILS (FRA) vs Christopher EUBANKS (USA)
Tommy PAUL (USA) [12] vs [Q] Diego SCHWARTZMAN (ARG)

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