MONTREAL – Seeded Americans got off to a good start at the men’s National Bank Open tennis tournament as Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton posted first-round wins Wednesday.
Canadian wild card Denis Shapovalov, however, was bounced in a first-round loss to American qualifier Brandon Nakashima.
Paul, seeded 10th in Montreal, fired nine aces in a 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over Italy’s Luciano Darderi.
He is playing in his first tournament since teaming with Taylor Fritz to win men’s doubles bronze at the Paris Olympics.
Shelton, seeded 11th, came back from a break down in the first set to defeat Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik 7-6 (4), 6-2 on Centre Court.
He will next face either Czechia’s Tomas Machac or Alexei Popyrin of Australia.
Nakashima defeated Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., 6-4, 7-5 in a match that took one hour 38 minutes to complete.
Shapovalov looked poised to win the second set with him serving at 4-3, but Nakashima broke serve and then held on for the victory.
Shapovalov finished the match with five aces, five double faults, 15 unforced errors, and saving one of three break points. Nakashima had four aces, five double faults, 13 unforced errors, and saved four of four break points.
Later Wednesday, 14th-seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal was scheduled to face Italy’s Flavio Cobolli and veteran Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C., was set to take on Sebastian Korda of the United States.
Wild cards Liam Draxl of New Market, Ont., and Benjamin Sigouin of Vancouver are playing German combo Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in men’s doubles later Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2024.
