Alex de Minaur, the 2023 National Bank Open runner-up, is back in the event’s quarterfinals after earning a three-set win on Sunday in Toronto.
The ninth-seeded Australian edged seventh-seeded Frances Tiafoe of the United States 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in fourth-round action.
Tiafoe registered slightly more winners (29-23) but significantly more unforced errors (49-35).
Despite losing each of his first two service games in the second set, Tiafoe rallied to extend the match. de Minaur recorded the lone break of the final set in the penultimate game, then served out the match.
“It was never going to be easy, and Frances has the ability to turn the switch on whenever he wants, so it is always very tricky to put him away,” de Minaur said. “I think I battled him, myself and the conditions and I am happy to sneak away with a win today.”
de Minaur moves on to oppose fourth-seeded Ben Shelton of the United States in the quarterfinals. Shelton, down 5-3 in the third set, came back to defeat 13th-seeded Flavio Cobolli of Italy 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (1).
Shelton has never advanced past the quarterfinals of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, having reached that stage just three times previously, including this year at Indian Wells, Calif.
Another fourth-round match reached the third round on Sunday but didn’t go the distance. Sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia advanced when 20th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain retired while trailing 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2), 3-0.
“I feel super great to be back in the quarterfinals,” Rublev said. “Of course, it is not the way I wanted to finish the match, but in the end we played nearly 2 1/2 hours, which is also kind of a lot. It is more than most of the matches. I feel enough tennis for the day and I just want to recover and take as much rest as I can.”
Rublev’s quarterfinal foe will be second-seeded Taylor Fritz of the United States, who worked into early Monday morning before defeating 19th-seeded Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5).
The match featured no service breaks. Fritz prevailed by saving all nine break points, though he failed to take advantage of any of his five break opportunities. Fritz also had a 16-6 edge in aces.
–Field Level Media
