The Rogers Cup entered Day Four and it was predominantly third round action, with a few second round matches to be cleared up in the WTA event in Montreal.
ATP Toronto
Third round
- Frances Tiafoe had the tough task of taking down fifth seed Grigor Dimitrov in the first match in Toronto.
Dimitrov hadn’t had the best season to date, but still could unleash some of the most exquisite tennis at a moments notice.
Today it was Tiafoe who made the initial break, based on a slew of Bulgarian errors, and led 3-2 with a break.
The break back came immediately, with the Dimitrov forehand assisting.
A scintillating Tiafoe forehand winner in the next game, plus more Dimitrov mistakes brought it to deuce. The fifth seed eventually held for 4-3.
No breaks of serve through to 5-6 with Tiafoe at the line.
A forehand winner from the American, plus two errors from Dimitrov, gave Tiafoe three game points, but a double fault and an error diluted his advantage. An excellent drop shot-volley combo won him the game though and a tie break followed.
Dimitrov swept to 3-0 after a double fault from Tiafoe. 4-0 after an attacking move forward was finished with a Bulgarian forehand put away.
An exchange of winning forehands and Dimitrov led 5-1. Five set points after an ill advised American drop shot was easily reached by Dimitrov from which he won the point and set 7-6(1).
An ace and a pulverising forehand by Tiafoe received a brilliant winning backhand reply from Dimitrov. Serve was comfortably held, as were the next three, and it was 2-2.
Several backhands were exchanged in a long rally before one from Tiafoe went astray 0-15. Ace, forehand winner, ace and quickly two game points. Serve held and Tiafoe led 3-2.
Two Dimitrov errors and 0-30. Two break points after a forehand missed wide. Double fault and Tiafoe led 4-2.
All of a sudden Dimitrov had gone off the rails, after looking so controlled since early in set one.
A love game with a couple of aces punctuating the Tiafoe service hold and a 5-2 edge.
Dimitrov held to 15 and Tiafoe has the chance to serve out the set at 5-3.
A break point was saved and an ace brought up set point. It was converted and a third set was required.
Tiafoe continued his run, breaking Dimitrov straight away. A 2-0 lead and Tiafoe had won 11 of the previous 12 points.
Dimitrov turned the tide and won the next three games to lead 3-2 on serve, saving a break point in the fifth game.
It reached 6-5 Dimitrov without further service break, although the Bulgarian needed to stave off two break chances given Tiafoe.
The tie break came after an easy Tiafoe hold.
The American hit a forehand winner to lead 3-1 in the breaker. Dimitrov stayed close by winning the point on his next serve, but Tiafoe still had the mini break.
A netted Tiafoe forehand and Dimitrov was back on serve 3-4. A wonderful backhand winner and big serve from the fifth seed and he led 5-4.
Attacking the net Dimitrov forced Tiafoe into error, and after winning four straight points, Grigor had now gathered two match points. Only one required and Grigor Dimitrov defeated Frances Tiafoe 7-6(1) 3-6 7-6(4)
- Kevin Anderson (4) defeated qualifier Ilya Ivashka 7-5 6-3 and will play Grigor Dimitrov (5) in the quarter finals
- Greek teenager, Stefanos Tsitsipas enjoyed perhaps his biggest ever win, defeating Novak Djokovic (9) 6-3 6-7(5) 6-3
- Marin Cilic (6) defeated Diego Schwartzman (11) 6-3 6-2
- Sascha Zverev (2) defeated qualifier Daniil Medvedev 6-3 6-2 and will play Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter finals
- Robin Haase defeated Denis Shapovalov 7-5 6-2
- Karen Khachanov defeated John Isner (8) 7-6(5) 7-6(1) and will play Robin Haase in the quarter finals
- Rafa Nadal (1) defeated wildcard Stan Wawrinka 7-5 7-6(4) and will play Marin Cilic (6) in the quarter finals.
It was a pleasure hearing the simple sound of racquet against ball from the Swiss end, in contrast to the atrocious grunting vocals added to the mix and contributed from the Spanish end.
WTA Montreal
Second round
- Venus Williams (13) defeated Sorana Cirstea 7-6(4) 6-4
- Johanna Konta defeated wildcard Vika Azarenka 6-3 6-1
- Simona Halep (1) made a lot of noise when defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6(9) 4-6 7-5. Not quite as bad as Sharapova but those in Ontario were struggling to find their ear plugs while the top seed annoyingly screamed her lungs out in Quebec.
It seems that we have to continue to contend with grunting and screaming from both the mens and women’s world number ones, which is a pity because the great shot making exhibited by Nadal and Halep simply doesn’t require ancillary sound effects adapted from the Sharapova handbook.
- Aryna Sabalenka defeated Caroline Wozniacki (2) 5-7 6-2 7-6(4)
Third round
- Sloane Stephens (3) defeated qualifier Carla Suárez Navarro 6-2 7-5
- Ash Barty (15) defeated Alizé Cornet 7-6(3) 6-4
- Anastasija Sevastova defeated Julia Goerges (10) 6-3 7-6(2) and will play Sloane Stephens (3) in the quarter finals
- Kiki Bertens defeated Petra Kvitová (8) 6-3 6-2 and will play Ash Barty (15) in the quarter finals
- Elina Svitolina (5) defeated Johanna Konta 6-3 6-4
- Caroline Garcia (6) defeated Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-2
- Simona Halep (1) defeated Venus Williams (13) 6-2 6-2 and will play Caroline Garcia (6) in the quarter finals
- Elise Mertens (14) defeated Aryna Sabalenka 2-6 7-6(1) 6-0 and will play Elina Svitolina (5) in the quarter finals
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