montreal-2024-draw | ATP Tour | Tennis

Sinner says he is “ready for any challenge” and faces a tough draw in Montreal

The Italian claimed his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto last year

August 03, 2024

Top seed Jannik Sinner faces a tough draw at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, the ATP Masters 1000 he won last year in Toronto. This year’s tournament, whose main draw begins on Tuesday, is being played in Montreal.

The No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings will face either Spaniard Pedro Martinez or a qualifier in the first round. But in the third round he faces 15th seed Alejandro Tabilo of Chile. The left-hander begins his test against American Frances Tiafoe.

Also in his fourth is fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev. Former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev is in his half of the draw. When Sinner triumphed in Canada a year ago, he was world No. 8 and had yet to win a Masters 1000. Despite having risen to the top of men’s tennis, the Italian says not much has changed.

“It’s just a different number. Me and my team try to do the process, our daily routine, to do everything in the best way possible and just try to be ready for every challenge that comes,” Sinner said at the draw ceremony. “I’m very happy to be back here. I started last year in the semi-finals of Wimbledon and then I came here for the first Masters which I won. I’ve been very consistent throughout a year and that’s at least what we’ll try to do in the coming months as well.”

This will be the top seed’s second appearance in Montreal. Two years ago he lost in the third round to eventual champion Pablo Carreno Busta.

“I’m really happy to be back here. I didn’t play very well two years ago, so hopefully I can play a little bit better. But we’ll see,” Sinner said. “I feel like the court here and the one in Toronto are very similar in one way, maybe I’ll fly a little bit more here. But I’m happy to be here, the atmosphere is always amazing.”

Also present at the draw ceremony was 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov. The seventh seed will play a qualifier in his opening match. The Bulgarian is 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, just 340 points behind Stefanos Tsitsipas, who currently occupies the eighth and final qualifying spot for the season-ending event.

The 33-year-old has a 32-11 record this season according to the Infosys ATP Win-Loss Index and has notched five wins against Top 10 opposition. “I never shy away from those moments. I love how I’ve been competing throughout the year so far and I’ve had some good results, but I don’t want to stop here,” Dimitrov said. “I want to take advantage of every moment I spend on court. It’s been a very special year for me on many different levels, so I’d like to continue that streak.”

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Second seed Alexander Zverev will face either in-form Australian Jordan Thompson or British left-hander Jack Draper in the second round. Third seed Medvedev will face either Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or his doubles partner Roman Safiullin in his opening match. Medvedev reached his first Masters 1000 final in Montreal five years ago.

Home favourite and former world number three Milos Raonic will face 13th seed Holger Rune in his opening match. Both are potential third-round opponents for Zverev. Felix Auger-Aliassime, 14th seed and a bronze medallist at the Paris Olympics, will face Italian Flavio Cobolli in the first round.