McIntyre Tennis

Men's Wimbledon Draw Analysis

By Mike McIntyre

 A year ago at Wimbledon Novak Djokovic signaled to the tennis world that he was back in-form by capturing his first Grand Slam in over two years at the All England Club. Now he returns not only as defending champion but also as the current US Open and Australian Open champ and the World No. 1 once again. Djokovic's path towards a fifth Wimbledon title won't be easy so let's take a closer look at who he might face and other contenders at SW19 in 2019.

The Serbian defending champ starts his campaign against tricky German Philipp Kohlschreiber who is tough on any surface but in particular on grass. The pair will face one another for the fourth time this year already with Djokovic capturing the last two meetings after Kohlschreiber got the 6-4, 6-4 win in Indian Wells. These two players met once before at Wimbledon with Djokovic prevailing in the first round back in 2015 by a score of 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. This will be Kohlschreiber's 15th appearance at Wimbledon and he made the quarterfinals in 2012, his best ever showing at a major. Djokovic has fellow Serbian Dusan Lajovic, the 32nd seed, as a potential third round opponent before what would be an interesting encounter in the fourth round against rising Canadian talent Felix Auger Aliassime who is seeded 19th in just the second Grand Slam of his young career.

Auger Aliassime had never before played a professional tournament on grass until a couple of week's ago in Stuttgart where he made the finals. Then last week the 18 year old phenom defeated Grigor Dimitrov, Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the semifinals in Queen's. Best of five sets will be something relatively new to Auger Aliassime but he has been in great form in the lead-up to Wimbledon.

Other tricky players in the top quarter include the aforementioned Tsitsipas - who has still been unable to beat Auger Aliassime in their pro careers. Daniil Medvedev is also present as the 11th seed along with veteran Gael Monfils who is seeded No. 16 and David Goffin - finalist in Halle - at No. 21.

Moving down the draw we have another Canadian to look out for - 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic. It has been another up and down year for Raonic due to injury issues but if he can manage to stay healthy he is an automatic top-5 threat on the grass. He'll open against Prajnesh Gunneswaran and could meet Stan Wawrinka in the third round. The pair have never played each other on grass and Wawrinka needs only a Wimbledon championship to complete his career Slam.

This quadrant of the draw also has last year's finalist, Kevin Anderson who comes in as the No. 4 seed this time around. Recently returning from an elbow injury that kept him off the ATP Tour for almost three months, Anderson has played in but one recent event where he fell in the second round to Gilles Simon at Queen's. The Wimbledon fifth set has been altered starting this year in part due to Anderson's lengthy semifinal match last year against John Isner where the South African prevailed 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 6-4, 26-24. From now only there will be a tiebreak played once 12-12 is reached in the fifth and final set.

Other players of note in this section include the struggling 6th seed Sascha Zverev, Russia's Karen Khachanov seeded 10th and recent Queen's singles and doubles champ - Feliciano Lopez.

In the bottom half of the draw we find a potential Nadal vs Federer semifinal that would have tennis fans lose their collective minds. It's hard to believe that the duo last met at Wimbledon all the way back in their legendary final in 2008 where Nadal prevailed 9-7 in the fifth set to capture his first ever title there. The path towards the semis will not be easy for Nadal who opens against Japanese qualifier Yuichi Sugita but could face Nick Kyrgios in the second round and potentially Denis Shapovalov in the third round. 2017 Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic could be a fourth round opponent while Dominic Thiem is the 5th seed and also in this section for a potential quarterfinal matchup. It would take quite the effort for Nadal to advance deep in the draw with that grueling list of opponents in front of him but with the Spaniard nothing can ever be considered a surprise given his unparalleled compete level and love for this tournament.

In the final quarter of the draw we have of course the 8 time champion Roger Federer. The World No. 3 is seeded 2nd due to Wimbledon's unique seeding formula - a process that has upset some who feel it unjustly bumps Nadal down a spot. Regardless of where you stand on that particular issue, Federer will open against South Africa's Lloyd Harris who is ranked No. 87 on the ATP Tour. Harris is going to have his hands full as he recently fell in the opening round of qualifying in both Halle and Eastbourne. Federer has a nice draw to settle into the tournament and shouldn't be overly challenged until a potential fourth round match against Borna Coric - someone who has a grass court win against him going back to last summer in the finals at Halle.

Beyond that point Kei Nishikori is the 8th seed and recent grass court star Matteo Berrettini is also floating around as the 17th seed in this bottom quarter. Tomas Berdych and Richard Gasquet are two veteran players with grass court skills who are unseeded and could make some noise as well.

Ultimately this event seems the most likely of all four Slams to have the big names continue their dominance. Going back to 2002 the only four players who have emerged victorious at Wimbledon are Federer (8), Djokovic (4), Nadal (2) and Murray (2). It would take a pretty big upset for that trend to change in 2019. While Murray is just making his return to the court in doubles, the other three have been their usual dominant selves leading the ATP in winning percentage through the first half of the season. Enjoy it while it lasts and check back with us later in the tournament for more Grand Slam coverage!

Canadian Clash: Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger Aliassime Faceoff in Madrid

Article and Photos By Mike McIntyre

For those in Canada who once upon a time dreamed of the day when the country would make its mark on the international tennis scene 2019 must signal mission accomplished. Only a third of the way through the season and it seems like Canada can already boast of stealing the show in terms of coming-out parties on both the ATP and WTA Tour's. While there is still plenty of tennis left to be played this year it would be hard to fathom two player's capturing their respective Newcomer of the Year awards other than 18 year old's Bianca Andreescu and Felix Auger Aliassime. Add the just-turned 20 year old Denis Shapovalov and you've got a trio of players who are going to capture this nation's attention for the next decade if not longer. Of course, the more success Canada's tennis crew enjoys, the higher chance that they will inevitably face one another with more frequency. Case in point - the Mutua Madrid Open which begins play Sunday and pits fellow Canadians and good friends Shapovalov and Auger Aliassime against one another in the opening round. 

The two talented youngsters have faced each other once before in an ATP match, just last summer at the US Open in New York. The match was played in muggy conditions and was split at a set apiece when Auger Aliassime was forced to retire while down 1-4 in the third frame due to an elevated heart rate. A worrisome moment to be sure but one that has since been corrected according to Auger Aliassime. At the time Shapovalov was the known quantity to the tennis world, while his younger compatriot had yet to have his breakthrough moment at the ATP level.

Fast forward to 2019 and while Shapovalov has maintained a presence in the top-30, it is Auger Aliassime who has shot up the rankings and made people take notice. The Montreal native began the year ranked just outside the top 100 on the ATP Tour but currently finds himself at a career-high No. 30. One element that sets Auger Aliassime apart from Shapovalov and other North American tennis players is his comfort level on clay, the surface that he and his Shapovalov will play each other on in Madrid. Clay is not a commonly found court surface in Canada unless you are talking about the green har-tru clay rather than the thicker red clay that is preferred in Europe and used in about 99% of ATP clay court events. This year Auger Aliassime boasts a record of 9-6 on the surface while also making his first ever Masters 1000 semifinal on hard court as well back in March in Miami. His versatility is what some predict will give him an edge moving forward in his career over Shapovalov and other contemporaries of his who will attempt to make their mark in the coming years.

Shapovalov is already a well-established product in his home country and elsewhere thanks in part to a stirring run in Montreal in the summer of 2017 where he made the semifinals, taking out Rafael Nadal along the way. Last year he proved he can have success on clay as well making the semifinals here in Madrid, though his game is not as suited to the surface in part due to his impulsivity in shot selection and wanting to end points quickly. He and Auger Aliassime could not be more different on and off the court - kind of in a Sampras vs Agassi kind of way. Auger Aliassime is the more consistent and calm presence who seems to avoid the limelight away from the game while Shapovalov has a go-for-broke style on court and appears quite comfortable crafting his social media presence where he creates entertaining vlogs and regularly shares behind-the-scenes moments with his fans.

Some pundits feel that Auger Aliassime is the favourite coming into their Madrid match due to his preference to the surface while others feel that the quicker playing Madrid courts and higher altitude give Shapovalov the edge. Whoever emerges victorious has the unenviable task of facing the greatest clay court player of all-time in Rafael Nadal in the second round. Regardless of the result one thing is certain - these two players will have ample opportunity moving forward to establish a simultaneously strong Canadian rivalry and friendship that should grip tennis fans in the country for years to come.

Into the Quarterfinals in Cordoba, Montpellier and Sofia

By Mike McIntyre

The three ATP 250 level tournaments this week have reached their midway points as the quarterfinals are now set in Cordoba, Argentina, Montepellier, France and Sofia, Bulgaria. As is often the case early in the season there have been many of the top seeds falling by the wayside which has offered up some fortuitous opportunities for some players to gain some unexpected ranking points and prize money. It certainly makes it tricky if you're into sports betting, so let's take a look at the remaining eight players in each draw.

Cordoba, Argentina

 lIn total five of the eight players remaining in the draw are from the host nation which should give Argentinian fans a lot to get excited about. Guido Pella, Federico Delbonis, Juan Ignacio Londero, qualifier Pedro Cachin and No. 3 seed Diego Schwartman are all through to the quarterfinals. With the draw being the way it is, tournament organizers must be thrilled that there will be at least two semifinalists from Argentina.

No. 1 seed Fabio Fognini was his often enigmatic self as he was defeated for the first time in eight meetings by Aljaz Bedene by a score of 6-1, 6-4. The second seed was also defeated as up-and-coming Spaniard Jaume Munar beat French Open semifinalist Marco Cecchinato 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to advance.

Montpellier, France

Despite defending champion and No. 1 seed Lucas Pouille going down in the round of sixteen, there are still three Frenchmen left in the Open Sud de France draw. The Aussie Open semifinalist Pouille was taken out by Marcos Baghdatis, himself a finalist at the first Grand Slam of the year way back in 2006.

Jo Wilfried Tsonga beat fellow veteran Gilles Simon 6-2, 7-6(3) in what very well might be his last season on the ATP Tour. He'll next face compatriot and sixth seed Jeremy Chardy for a spot in the semifinals.

Another local hope will be in tough in the bottom half of the draw where Frenchman Pierre Hugues Herbert will play 19 year old Canadian Denis Shapovalov. Shapovalov is looking for his first ATP Tour title and the question is when, not if, that will happen. Already cracking the top 30 in the rankings, the young Canadian's development almost seems destined to enjoy his first tournament victory at some point this season.

One of France's hopes who is not advancing is the 8th seeded Benoit Paire who was soundly beaten by a resurgent Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-0 in a match he will not soon forget. Berdych is my favourite to win the title based on his experience and fine form so far in 2019.

Sofia, Bulgaria

In the final tournament of the week, the trend of losing No. 1 seeds continued as young Russian talent Karen Kachanov was beaten by Italian Matteo Berrettini 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-4.

There will be two new players in the finals this year as the defending champion, World No. 99 Miza Basic lost his opening match to Martin Klizan, while finalist Marius Copil lost in the second round to Fernando Verdasco after taking out Stan Wawrinka in his first match.

No. 2 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas is still alive after a 7-6(5), 6-4 win against Jan-Lennard Struff. He'll next play the always entertaining Gael Monfils in a match that should give spectators their money's worth to say the least. Third seeded Daniil Medvedev is also in the bottom half and a match between he and Tsitsipas would be a great semifinal between two of the brightest rising stars on the men's tour.

The Week Ahead on the ATP Tour: Cordoba, Montpellier and Sofia

Article and Photography by Mike McIntyre

With the first Grand Slam of 2019 now behind us as well as the Davis Cup qualifiers, the ATP Tour can begin to settle into its usual groove of tournaments. This week there will be three level 250 events taking place and here is a short preview of what we can expect. If you're the wagering type and looking for tips on how to bet on sports, then perhaps this preview can be of assistance as well.

Cordoba Open

Italy's Fabio Fognini will be the No. 1 seed for the inaugural installment of this clay court event in Cordoba, Argentina. He gets a first round bye and then will face the winner between Aljaz Bedene and Max Marterer. Neither should give the World No. 15 much trouble, as Fognini is 1-0 vs Marterer and a whopping 8-0 H2H against Bedene in his career.

Diego Schwartzman is the tournament's third seed and also in the top half of the draw. The Argentinian No. 2 will enjoy tremendous home court support and his first match will be against either a qualifier or wildcard Thiago Seyboth Wild who is ranked 451st in the world.

In the bottom half of the draw, surprise 2018 French Open semifinalist Marco Cecchinato is the No. 2 seed. Since his stunning run at Roland Garros, the 26 year old Italian has gone 10-14 on tour and will very likely have a major ranking tumble this year in Paris.

Best bet for the lower portion of the draw is instead 4th seeded Pablo Carreno Busta or 7th seeded Leonardo Mayer - both very capable clay court players.

Open Sud de France

Turning our attention over to Europe, there is a hard court tournament for French tennis fans to flock to in Montpellier located near the southern coast. This event has been one by a Frenchman in six of the eight times it has been held, including by Lucas Pouille a year ago. Pouille would be a solid pick to repeat as champion given his past success in the event and the fact that he recently made his first ever Grand Slam semifinal in Melbourne. He opens with a bye and will then face the winner between a qualifier and Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic. Pouille has a 2-0 record against Vesely at the ATP level, but lost both matches that were prior to 2016 against him at the Challenger/Future level of play.

The top half of the draw is littered with other talented yet aging French players such as 4th seeded Gilles Simon, Jo Wilfried Tsonga as well as Jeremy Chardy. All three are over thirty years old and Tsonga required a wildcard to enter the event as he is currently ranked 210th in the world.

The bottom half of the draw has Canada's Denis Shapovalov as the third seed. Shapovalov just helped his country qualify for the Davis Cup finals that will be held in November as he won both of his singles rubbers against Slovakia. The talented 19 year old has yet to win his maiden ATP title, and this week in Monpellier might afford him a solid opportunity to do just that.

David Goffin is the No. 2 seed and has had an underwhelming year thus far, falling in the opening round in Doha before losing to Daniil Medvedev in the third round of the Aussie Open. Veteran Tomas Berdych also lurks in this section of the draw and has had a resurgent start to 2019 by making the finals in Doha and then the last 16 in Melbourne.

Sofia Open

In Bulgaria, the Sofia Open has Mirza Basic as defending champion. The World No. 99 represents Bosnia-Herzegovina and accomplished little else at the ATP level in 2018 save for his surprising run of 7 victories in Sofia where he had to endure two qualifying wins before eventually taking down Marius Copil in a close final.

Young Russian sensation Karen Khachanov is the No. 1 seed this year and after an opening round pass will face either Denis Istomin or Matteo Berrettini in the second round. Stan Wawrinka could be a potential third round opponent for Khachanov but he will first have to get by Copil and then potentially face fellow veteran Fernando Verdasco. Robert Bautista Agut had a great run at the Australian Open and he is in the top half of the draw here as the No. 4 seed.

In the bottom half look out for No. 2 Stefanos Tsitsipas and No. 3 Daniil Medvedev as likely contenders for the title. You will also find the always entertaining Gael Monfils and last year's champ who we previously mentioned, Mirza Basic, who it appears will have a much tougher time this year if he dreams of repeating as champion.

Canada Ready to Battle Slovakia in Davis Cup Qualifiers

By Mike McIntyre

Canada is set to open their Davis Cup tie against Slovakia on Friday at 3pm local time, 9am ET. The Canadians will be putting a much younger and different looking squad on the court than we have seen in recent years as 18 year old Felix Auger Aliassime and 19 year old Denis Shapovalov will carry the load in both singles and doubles.

Gone are familiar faces like Milos Raonic who is dealing with some knee issues, Vasek Pospisil who just had spinal surgery and of course the legendary Daniel Nestor who has recently retired. It is now up to the next wave of Canadian talent to show they are ready to get the job done for team Captain Frank Dancevic and Tennis Canada.

Action begins with two best-of-three singles matches on the red clay in Bratislava. The 25th ranked Shapovalov will get the call first against 26 year old Filip Horansky who is ranked 219th on the ATP Tour. Horansky has only four ATP matches under his belt with a 1-3 record. He has never faced either of the Canadian players before.

The second match of the day will pit Auger Aliassime, ranked 106th, against the 38th ranked Martin Klizan. Klizan is the veteran amongst the singles players at 29 years old and is a lefty. He will be playing in front of his hometown fans in Brastislava that will no doubt give him some added motivation to perform well. The Slovak has never faced Auger Aliassime but does boast a 1-0 career head-to-head against Shapovalov, beating him 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 on indoor hard court last year in St. Petersburg. Klizan has six career singles titles and an overall win/loss record of 140-133.

On Saturday Auger Aliassime and Shapovalov will first team-up in doubles against Filip Polasek and Igor Zelenay and then will play reverse singles against Horansky and Klizan if needed.

While Canada does not have an abundance of success on red clay, Shapovalov did make the semifinals last year on the surface at the Madrid Masters event while Auger Aliassime played the bulk of his 2018 calendar on clay - something that is rare among Canadian players.

Team Canada is rounded-out with Peter Polansky who is currently ranked 121st in the world and Captain Frank Dancevic who has come-in clutch for Canada in past ties and could play if needed. Neither Polansky nor Dancevic is expected to play unless of an injury or if there is a dead-rubber - a meaningless match - on Saturday.

Check back with us for more coverage throughout the weekend as well as updates on our Twitter page. You can also click here for an interview from my Southpaw Slice co-host Ben Lewis who chatted with Dancevic a day ahead of the tie for his take on what we can expect from the young duo of Auger Aliassime and Shapovalov.

Canada In Davis Cup Driver's Seat

By Mike McIntyre

In what is guaranteed to be the last Davis Cup tie played this time of year on home soil, Canada gave its fans something to remember them by in the opening day of their Tie against the Netherlands. The Tennis Canada squad would secure victories in both singles rubbers with wins from Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov.

The first match featured Canada's No. 1 gun Raonic returning to Davis Cup action for the first time since 2015. The World No. 20 delivered a routine win as expected against World No. 236 Thiemo de Bakker. The only question for Raonic was his health, as he was injured in the last match he played a couple of weeks ago at the US Open. There were no signs of limping or limited movement from that right thigh injury and Raonic cruised 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

It was the second singles match of the day that was predicted to be much closer and that certainly turned-out to be the case. 19 year old Denis Shapovalov brought a 1-1 career head-to-head record into the match against 31 year old Robin Haase. Shapovalov triumphed earlier this season on clay in Rome while Haase got his revenge recently in Toronto at the Rogers Cup. The match did not start well for Canada as Shapovalov was quickly down 3-6, 3-6 due to a high number of errors in comparison to the steady play from his opponent. In the third frame it appeared likely that the Dutchman was going to finish things off in straight sets. Serving at 5-5, Shapovalov somehow saved six break points against him to hold and then break Haase to take the set 7-5. Suddenly there was a glimmer of hope for the enthusiastic home crowd to latch onto. Shapovalov started connecting on his ground strokes that were now finding their mark more often than not. Haase began to tire and for the first time in his young career, Shapovalov would overcome a two set deficit to prevail 3-6, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4.

The victory now sets the stage for Vasek Pospisil and the retiring Daniel Nestor to clinch the tie against the Netherlands in their doubles match Saturday afternoon. The pair will have their work cut out for them as they face the world's No. 20 doubles player Jean-Julien Roger. Roger's partner is unknown at present time but given the four-plus hours that Haase spent on court yesterday, it would be unlikely he returns to action so soon. Instead look to Matwe Middelkoop - world No. 33  to take the spot. 

It will be a difficult position for Nestor to be in despite being the sentimental favourite. The 46 year old has played with a revolving door of partners in his final season on the ATP World Tour and has not been able to develop much rhythm as he approaches retirement. He and Pospisil have also struggled in recent matches together but will hope to use the home crowd support and emotional magnitude of the moment to propel them - and Canada - to victory. 

Should the Netherlands win in doubles, it will be up to Shapovalov or Raonic to win one of their remaining singles matches on Sunday - a feat that shouldn't be a problem given their success on Friday. While we might not be seeing much Davis Cup action in Canada moving forward under the new format, at least it appears likely that Canadian tennis fans will have a positive lasting memory from the success achieved this weekend here in Toronto.

Great Things in Store for Canada at the Rogers Cup

By Mike McIntyre

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal captured his fourth Rogers Cup title on Sunday in Toronto and reminded the Next Gen on the ATP World Tour that their time has not quite arrived yet. The Spaniard was - in the words of vanquished 20 year old finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas - a "beast" whose competitive drive and hunger for victory still remains unparalleled among his peers. 

This edition of Canada's Masters 1000 event will be remembered by Nadal's brilliant win but also as one where the young guns made their presence truly felt. Aside from Tsitsipas - who defeated four members of the top ten en-route to the final - there were strong performances by Karen Khachanov, Daniil Medvedev, Canada's Denis Shapovalov  and of course 21 year old Sascha Zverev who as the current World No. 4 has already transcended his Next Gen label to become a force on the professional tour. 

While the Grand Slams are still being dominated by three guys - Nadal along with Roger Federer and a resurgent Novak Djokovic, the kids coming-up the ranks are proving that they are ready to compete for titles at the other tour events and it is only a matter of time before one of them has a breakthrough at a Major. 

Stuck in the middle are those in their mid to late twenties. The Grigor Dimitrov's and Milos Raonic's of the world who, while talented, are at risk of seeing their chances of winning one of tennis' most coveted tournaments disappear. A combination of health issues, inconsistencies and general misfortune of playing in the Era of three of the best players - perhaps THE best players - ever has cost them their quest for Grand Slam triumph so far. 

Crowds in Toronto seemed to be among their all-time highs this year and this is a trend that we should see only continue to blossom as Canada asserts itself in tennis as a nation to keep an eye on at the international level. Aside from the 27 year old Raonic - who still could conceivably have some good years ahead if he can stay healthy, there are two rising talents that will soon be superstars both at home and abroad.

Denis Shapovalov made his presence felt last summer during his surprising semifinal run in Montreal. While he could not repeat that accomplishment this year in Toronto, he looked good in his two opening round victories before falling to Robin Haase in his round of sixteen match. Give the kid some time to mature and develop his entertaining game and he has nowhere to go but up. As if one budding star wasn't enough, tennis fans also had a glimpse of the promise Felix Auger-Aliassime holds. The just-turned 18 year old seemed to be poised for a second round victory against Medvedev but ultimately fell 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(7). Nerves got the better of him in the late stages of the third set tiebreak, but he is already the youngest player in the top 200 of the ATP rankings and has a game that is far more developed than it should  be for his age. 

While Raonic had an exciting run to the Rogers Cup finals in 2013 where he lost to - you guessed it - Nadal, his arrival was just foreshadowing the success Tennis Canada is on the cusp of enjoying. With Daniel Nestor set to retire next month at the age of 45 after winning every conceivable accolade in the doubles world, Canada is ready to now see if it has what it takes to experiences that kind of success in singles competition as well. When Nadal, Federer and Djokovic do finally pass the torch, there is no doubt there will be some Canadians lining up to try to have their turn. 

Third Round Action Set for the Rogers Cup in Toronto

By Mike McIntyre

The Rogers Cup nears the halfway mark and despite some high profile withdrawals has enjoyed a successful debut thanks to homegrown Canadian talent making some early noise and from other star players who have performed to their abilities thus far.

On Wednesday the draw was narrowed down to the final 16 players who conquered their opponents under hot and sticky conditions in Toronto. Here's a look at some of the major matches from the day.

 Novak Djokovic played his first singles match since a shocking third round loss at Wimbledon and showed some rust in his return to hardcourts. Always favored in the LeoVegas Tennis odds, the world No. 1 defeated a tough Gilles Muller 7-5, 7-6(3). Djokovic displayed no discomfort with his right arm as he had earlier in the week in practice at the Rogers Cup and is the favorite to come away with the title by the end of the week. He advances to face Radek Stepanek in the evening session Thursday.

5th seeded Tomas Berdych fought off upstart 19 year old Borna Coric 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. Berdych has yet to win a title in 2016 and will be on a collision course to meet Djokovic in the quarter-finals in Toronto. First however, Berdych must get past American Ryan Harrison who upset John Isner in three close sets.

In the evening matches Canadian Milos Raonic advanced as expected with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Yen-Hsun Lu before his hometown crowd. Milos seems to be playing much more comfortably in front of his partisan fans and admits to working on his on-court demeanor in recent months with coaches Carlos Moya and John McEnroe. Raonic moves on to face American qualifier Jared Donaldson who defeated the ever-elusive Fabio Fognini in the second round.

Canada's hopes for a second Canuck joining Milos in the third round fell-through in the final match of the night Wednesday as 17 year old Denis Shapovalov's Cinderella story ended at the hands of former top-ten player Grigor Dimitrov. Despite going up an early break to 3-1 in the opening set, Shapovalov didn't have enough answers for the adaptable game of Dimitrov. He stayed positive throughout the match however and fought hard until the end. Shapovalov certainly has a bright future ahead of him and will not soon be forgotten after his Wimbledon Junior title and upset round one victory over Nick Kyrgios here in Toronto.