Top seeds fall early as Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev beaten at Montreal Masters

[p]Top seed and world number three [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Zverev[/a], this year's French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/tennis-montreal-atp-singles-griekspoor-upsets-top-seed-zverev-at-canadian-open-with-statement-win/KpZ5WcD4/"]was toppled[/a] by Dutchman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/griekspoor-tallon/f3zfMU5i/"]Tallon Griekspoor[/a], who rallied for a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/griekspoor-t-f3zfMU5i/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=r1lKP1to"]6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-4[/a] second-round upset.[/p][p]"[b]I didn't expect to play well,[/b]" Zverev said. "[b]I also didn't expect to play this bad, to be honest.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="244423b2-fb39-48aa-98fe-8745fa0ec6f1" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2085125019424743608?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Montreal native [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/auger-aliassime-felix/CzXh4LAb/"]Auger-Aliassime[/a] had to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/home-hero-auger-aliassime-withdraws-from-canadian-open-with-back-injury/MVMerVo4/"]withdraw before his scheduled night match[/a] after injuring his back during training on Monday.[/p][p]"[b]It was quite sudden. I was training here for two weeks and I had zero problems,[/b]" Auger-Aliassime said. "[b]Just the timing is tough.[/b][/p][p]"[b]I thought that day by day things would get better, but I tried to go on court today, I tried to warm up, and then I basically couldn't serve really, so it was impossible for me to think about even competing.[/b]"[/p][p]Joining his fellow elites on the sidelines was fourth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a], the 2021 champion, who went out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/medvedev-d-O8qG0Nhb/van-de-zandschulp-b-YwiLpILD/?mid=tvP7VWC6"]6-3, 7-6 (5)[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-de-zandschulp-botic/YwiLpILD/"]Botic Van de Zandschulp[/a], another Dutch spoiler.[/p][embed guid="f12d66b8-a7d5-4cb6-8638-3fec87e5d292" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2085167777279558016?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Medvedev missed out on achieving his 100th career victory at the Masters level as he lost in his Canada opener, weighed down by 40 unforced errors.[/p][p]Tournament officials already were fuming at an event in which world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Jannik Sinner[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Novak Djokovic[/a] were both high-profile absentees even before the start.[/p][p]"[b]I'm not going to lie, we were hoping that Felix was going to win at least a few matches,[/b]" tournament director Valerie Tetreault said.[/p][p]"[b]He's definitely the player everybody was talking about and people wanted to know when he was going to play[/b]."[/p][p]Zverev was competing for the first time since his Wimbledon final loss to Sinner and began to fade in the second set against world number 69 Griekspoor.[/p][p]"[b]This was probably the worst match of the season[/b]," Zverev said. "[b]This one was up there as the worst.[/b][/p][p]"[b]Tennis comes with ups and downs. I'm very happy with how the last couple of months were. Now it's about getting back to that form.[/b]"[/p][p]The Dutch winner came within a point of a 5-2 lead in the third set, but found himself square at 4-all as he lost serve.[/p][p]But the underdog broke the seed straight back and served out the match in one of his biggest victories a game later.[/p][p]"[b]This is one of the most special wins I've ever had,[/b]" he said. "[b]I've had a tough season. I was close to throwing in the towel a few times. But I've been working harder in practice and reaching a good level.[/b][/p][p]"[b]I felt it was about time for a big win[/b]."[/p][p]Fifth-seeded defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shelton-ben/QNuG0Gzb/"]Ben Shelton[/a] rallied from 4-1 down in his second set to overhaul US compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brooksby-jenson/MoOtVkbN/"]Jenson Brooksby[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/brooksby-j-MoOtVkbN/shelton-b-QNuG0Gzb/?mid=IXmBkgs3"]6-3, 7-5[/a], winning six of the last seven games for his 28th victory of the season.[/p][h2]'A huge positive'[/h2][p]The son of a former ATP pro has won seven straight matches in Canada, taking 96 minutes to go through to the third round. He's 15-3 against countrymen since the start of 2025.[/p][p]"[b]Defending is tough. I had to get over pre-tournament nerves but I got my first straight-set win of the summer season,[/b]" Shelton said.[/p][p]"[b]Jenson is a nightmare match-up for me. To win it is a huge positive.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="76d56021-1738-4d92-96ec-7fb230e81d38" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2085081016679432627?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Greek [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsitsipas-stefanos/hb6oWfc6/"]Stefanos Tsitsipas[/a] fell [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/fonseca-j-tv073LUc/tsitsipas-s-hb6oWfc6/?mid=SMHCKv2s"]7-6 (3), 7-5[/a] to 19-year-old Brazilian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fonseca-joao/tv073LUc/"]Joao Fonseca[/a] in the second round.[/p][p]Fonseca, who fired nine aces among his 31 winners, next plays ninth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruud-casper/zN9UpRqp/"]Casper Ruud[/a].[/p]