At the National Bank Open, Olympic doubles bronze medalists Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul showcased their skills by winning their opening singles matches. The ninth-seeded Fritz defeated Mariano Navone from Argentina with a score of 6-4, 6-1, while the 10th-seeded Paul triumphed over Luciano Darderi of Italy with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (2). Fritz expressed his thoughts on the match by saying, “It was a solid match. I feel like the level, probably from both of us, went up a bit in the second set. We started playing longer points.”
Fritz is set to face American Sebastian Korda in the second round after his victory. Korda, who recently won his second ATP Tour title in Washington, led Vasek Pospisil 2-1 in a night match when the Canadian retired due to a back injury. Other American players such as Ben Shelton and Brandon Nakashima also secured wins, with Nakashima, a qualifier, scheduled to play against Paul in the second round. Shelton, the 11th seed, defeated doubles partner Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, while Nakashima beat Canadian wild-card Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 7-5.
Ben Shelton reflected on his performance by stating, “I think the consistency in my tennis is improving every week. I’m feeling more and more comfortable. I’m starting to feel more comfortable on the court against guys that I’ve had a lot of trouble with before.” The rise of American tennis players at the National Bank Open showcases the depth and talent present in the country’s tennis scene.
Flavio Cobolli of Italy, who recently lost to Korda in the DC Open final, caused an upset by defeating 14th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada with a score of 6-3, 6-2. The unpredictability of tennis tournaments adds to the excitement and drama for both players and fans alike. As the competition progresses, it will be interesting to see how the American players fare and if they can continue their strong performances at the National Bank Open.
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