Monday Digest: Blockbuster First Rounders Await at US Open

Anybody on the lookout for some fascinating first-round matches on the US Open this week ought to have a peek on the Canadians’ attracts. 

From a recurring rivalry on the majors to a conflict of Canadians within the doubles, there may be a lot to look at within the early rounds of the yr’s last main. And most of will probably be taking place on Tuesday. 

Right here’s what you might want to know. 

In Case You Missed It: Diallo’s New York Dream 

For the second time in 2024, Gabriel Diallo was in a position to come via qualifying to achieve the primary draw of a significant. 

It was not simple for the 6’8 Montrealer, who rallied from a set down in spherical one in opposition to Sho Shimabukuro after which needed to save match factors and are available again from a set and 3-5 down within the second spherical in opposition to Titouan Droguet of France. 

However when the primary draw was inside attain, he seized his alternative, clinching a spot with a straight-set win over Valentin Royer. Diallo beforehand certified for his first Grand Slam predominant draw earlier this yr at Roland-Garros. 

Diallo was the one Canadian to make it via qualifying. Rebecca Marino misplaced to Arianne Hartono within the second spherical, whereas Marina Stakusic was crushed in spherical one by Celine Naef. 

Learn additionally: Pre-US Open ATP Energy Rankings – Alcaraz and Djokovic Search for Fast Bounce Again

On the primary excursions, Leylah Annie Fernandez’s last US Open prep didn’t go as deliberate, as she misplaced within the first spherical of the WTA 250 occasion in Cleveland in each singles to Ana Bogdan and in doubles along with her sister Bianca Jolie.  

Carol Zhao certified for the WTA 500 occasion in Monterrey, her first predominant draw of 2024, however misplaced her first-round match to Petra Martic in three units. 

What to Watch: Canadian Cluster at US Open 

Six Canadians shall be competing on the last Grand Slam occasion of the yr, the US Open, which will get underway this week. 

All 5 Canadians in singles are within the high half of their respective attracts and can all kick off their campaigns on Tuesday in New York. That features the blockbuster showdown between Bianca Andreescu and No. 5-seed Jasmine Paolini, a 3rd straight assembly a significant for the pair. 

Félix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov, Gabriel Diallo, and Leylah Annie Fernandez are all competing in singles on the US Open. 

Click on right here to learn the total US Open preview.

The doubles draw encompasses a round-one blockbuster between the one two Canadians within the girls’s draw, with Gabriela Dabrowski kicking off her title defence in New York in opposition to Fernandez. 

Dabrowski is the highest seed with Erin Routliffe and can face off with Fernandez and Yulia Putintseva within the first spherical in New York. Fernandez and Putintseva just lately reached the WTA 1000 Cincinnati last, the place they misplaced to Routliffe and Asia Muhammad. 

Routliffe defeated Fernandez late in 1000-level occasions twice this summer season, additionally beating the Montrealer and her sister within the Toronto semifinals with Dabrowski. 

Learn additionally: Pre-US Open WTA Energy Rankings – A New York Breakthrough on the Horizon?

Shapovalov is the lone Canadian man enjoying doubles, teaming up with Soonwoo Kwon. They open in opposition to Flavio Cobolli and Dominic Stricker and will face sixth seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten within the second spherical. 

Below the Radar:  

It has been a busy month in Canada with ITF occasions and nationwide championships going down. 

Final week, the host nation cleaned up at an ITF W35 occasion in Saskatoon, with native favourites claiming the titles. Kayla Cross received her first skilled singles title, defeating fellow Canadian Mia Kupres who received the doubles with Ariana Arseneault. 

Click on right here to learn the total Saskatchewan recap.

The U16 and U12 junior nationals wrapped up final week and this week is all concerning the U14s. 

Click on right here to learn the U16 and U12 occasion recap.

Click on right here to learn the U14 occasion preview.

There’s additionally a J300 ITF junior occasion in Repentigny this week, the highest-tier junior occasion in Canada on the calendar. Click on right here to learn the Repentigny preview.

This week additionally has the Steve Stevens Masters Tennis Championships on the calendar. The large occasion is going down throughout varied golf equipment in Toronto. Click on right here to learn the Masters Nationals preview.

Elsewhere on the earth of tennis, Carson Branstine and Cleeve Harper each picked up titles on the ITF circuit.  

Branstine was the second seed in Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia and claimed her third ITF singles title of the yr with a straight-set with over native favorite Lola Radivojevic. The Canadian misplaced only one set within the event, within the semifinals in opposition to fourth seed Tatiana Prozorova. 

Harper picked up his second title of the yr, profitable the doubles on the M25 in Santander, Spain with Inaki Montes de la Torre. Regardless of being unseeded and needing to outlive a match tiebreak within the first spherical, the Canadian-Spanish duo didn’t drop a set from the quarter-finals onwards, together with wins over the third and second seeds earlier than capping it off with a victory over Raul Brancaccio of Italy and Sergi Perez Contri of Spain within the last. 

Wheelchair tennis shall be within the highlight this week because the tennis occasion on the 2024 Summer time Paralympics in Paris get underway on Friday. Rob Shaw shall be competing within the quad division and is the one Canadian to qualify for Paris. 

You possibly can comply with the Canadians in motion each week right here.