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Olympic years at all times convey robust choices for gamers heading to North America for the double-header Masters in Canada and Cincinnati.
After all there are huge prizes at stake, however the calls for on the physique of back-to-back Masters is big, and the highest gamers should additionally preserve of their sights the nonetheless greater prize of the US Open only a week after Cincinnati’s climax.
Add into the equation one other disrupted calendar that has continued to really feel the results of Covid restrictions, quarantines and re-scheduled tournaments—notice Roland Garros taking every week out of the grass swing with a purpose to keep away from some Parisian restrictions—and tennis gamers are nonetheless having to make tough selections.
The most important since Wimbledon was whether or not to make the robust journey to Japan for the Olympics, and endure not simply tight journey restrictions and excessive enjoying circumstances, but in addition empty stadia. Many opted out, for sensible or well being causes, however for Alexander Zverev, there was no doubting the gold reward was well worth the effort.
However whereas Tokyo 2020 has been filling the sports activities media, there have been many tennis tales quietly stacking up by July and August.
The summer season clay swing in scenic and comparatively protected European venues introduced notable wins for 22-year-old Casper Ruud—thrice—in Bastad, Gstaad and Kitzbuhel, and a career-high No12. Although how that work-load and alter of floor will have an effect on his Toronto marketing campaign is but to be seen.
Briton Cameron Norrie, after three finals this season, lastly lifted his first trophy in Los Cabos—additionally sealing a career-high of 28. He finds himself in a big-hitting section of the draw, although, first dealing with Karen Khachanov, then Aslan Karatsev, with Stefanos Tsitsipas lined up for the third spherical.
Rafael Nadal, nursing a foot harm for the reason that French Open, returned to play the Washington 500 final week, however discovered the going robust, and misplaced within the third spherical. He nonetheless informed the media in Toronto that the ache in his foot was enhancing on a regular basis.
He has received the Canadian Masters 5 instances, together with back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019, and is the second seed this week regardless of being overtaken by Stefanos Tsitsipas at No3 within the ranks. The Spaniard faces a difficult opener towards the ever-improving Lloyd Harris, who occurred to beat Nadal final week in Washington. But when he wins a record-equalling sixth Canadian title, he may also edge forward of Djokovic in Masters titles.
Tsitsipas additionally has cause to be optimistic in Toronto. He made his first Masters last there in 2018, a day earlier than turning 20, and made him the youngest participant to beat 4 high 10 opponents at a single match for the reason that ATP was established in 1990. This 12 months, he arrives with a primary Masters title to his title, from Monte-Carlo, plus a last run at Roland Garros. Nonetheless, like Nadal, he faces a tricky opener towards both Cagliari champion Lorenzo Sonego or Halle champion Ugo Humbert, ranked 25 and 26 respectively so lacking a seeding actually by one place. And Humbert it was who halted Tsitsipas only a fortnight in the past in Tokyo.
The highest seed is Daniil Medvedev after world No1 Novak Djokovic withdrew following his Tokyo exertions. Medvedev will definitely be a harmful contender—he has received 10 of his 11 titles on onerous courts, and reached the ultimate of this match in Montreal in 2019.
Nonetheless, there can be robust competitors from three fellow Russians: Tokyo’s singles silver medallist Khachanov, combined doubles gold medallist Andrey Rublev, and combined doubles silver medallist Karatsev.
Nonetheless, maybe the most important menace to Medvedev within the early rounds would be the latest champion, Jannik Sinner, nonetheless solely 19 years previous and the youngest ATP500 champion after successful in Washington yesterday.
And making an allowance for that Sinner received the Nice Ocean Highway Open firstly of the 12 months and reached the ultimate of the celebrated Miami Masters within the spring, his efficiency on sizzling onerous courts is evident. He might meet Medvedev within the third spherical in Toronto, in maybe the most popular quarter. The opposite seeds listed here are Alex de Minaur and Huburt Hurkacz, who received the Miami Masters and reached the semis at Wimbledon—although the Pole might play Kei Nishikori in his first match.
Residence hopefuls
Canada has the great fortune of two younger stars with real looking ambitions of robust runs in Toronto. No5 seed Denis Shapovalov made arguably his greatest breakthrough to achieve the semis in Montreal in 2017, age 18, and beating Nadal within the course of. He has gone on to achieve 4 extra Masters semis, advancing to the Paris last, and in addition reached his first Main semi at Wimbledon this 12 months.
His youthful compatriot and good friend, 20-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime, is seeded 15, made the quarters at Wimbledon, and this 12 months he added two finals to the six he had already reached. He’s in a tricky quarter in Toronto topped by Tsitsipas and Ruud, with extra risks corresponding to Norrie, Khachanov, Marin Cilic and Dusan Lajovic within the unseeded combine.
The veteran among the many Canadians is wild card Vasek Pospisil, following the withdrawal of Milos Raonic as he continues to regain health after a calf harm earlier this season.
Vital absentees
In addition to Raonic, the draw has misplaced Roger Federer, who has invariably celebrated his birthday when enjoying the match. However as he turns 40, his struggles to get again to high type from his double knee surgical procedure final 12 months proceed with a post-Wimbledon set-back. He has already pulled out of Cincinnati, too.
The absence of Djokovic, Zverev, Matteo Berrettini and Pablo Carreno Busta additionally affirm how tough and tight the schedule is for the run-in in the direction of New York, and with Dominic Thiem nonetheless carrying a wrist harm, there stay simply six of the highest dozen within the draw.
Potential quarter-finals
[1] Medvedev vs [7] Hubert Hurkacz
[4] Andrey Rublev vs [5] Denis Shapovalov
[6] Casper Ruud vs [3] Stefanos Tsitsipas
[8] Diego Schwartzman v [2] Rafael Nadal
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