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Gabriel Diallo will never forget his first ATP Tour win.

The 21-year-old Canadian stunned Washington champion Daniel Evans 7-6(4), 7-5 on home soil Tuesday to reach the second round of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers.

The No. 141 player in the Pepperstone ATP Ranking entered the match with an 0-4 tour-level record. But he showed nerves of steel under pressure to close out the in-form Briton after two hours.

“Words cannot really describe how I feel right now. I hope that everyone in this planet can feel what I'm feeling right now, this level of happiness,” Diallo said in his on-court interview. “But obviously it doesn't come without hard work behind the scenes. People don't know us as tennis players, we travel, we lose first round, we go to crazy places losing first round, it's so tough.

“But it shows that hard work eventually pays off and hopefully this can be the start of something.”

Alex de Minaur’s remarkable mid-match surge proved the difference on Tuesday at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers as the Australian upset 11th seed Cameron Norrie 7-5, 6-4 at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto.

De Minaur won seven of eight games from 3-5 down in the first set to notch a one-hour, 43-minute triumph in his third Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Norrie. In the first of those games, Norrie let slip a set point at 40/30 and then dropped serve with a double fault after repeatedly struggling with his ball toss in the strong Toronto wind.

“It was definitely not easy conditions out here. It was blowing a gale, it didn’t make for pretty tennis,” said De Minaur. “So I think we both struggled a bit out here today, but I’m happy I was able to get the win over an incredible opponent.”

De Minaur is now 18-8 on hard courts for the season, a tally that includes his run to a maiden ATP 500 crown in Acapulco. The 24-year-old last week reached the championship match in Los Cabos, and he will take on Washington winner Daniel Evans or home wild card Gabriel Diallo next as he looks to continue his strong recent form.

“I’m just finding my game,” said De Minaur, who also reached a final on grass this year at The Queen’s Club in June. “I’ve always thought I’ve had this level, and now I’ve just put a couple of good matches together and that gives you confidence. So you build on that, and hopefully we can keep it going.”

There are four ways a point starts in tennis. Carlos Alcaraz is the best-performing player in more than a decade in one of them. Which one do you think it is?

The four ways a point starts are:

Alcaraz is currently No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and has amassed a formidable 47-4 record this season, including six titles, coming into the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Toronto.

So, where is he currently the peak performer so far in 2023? An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis uncovers precisely where the 20-year-old Spaniard sits alone at the top of the mountain.

[BREAK POINT]

The seventh ATP Masters 1000 event of the season is the Western & Southern Open, which is held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati.

Here is everything you need to know about the hard-court tournament:

When is the Western & Southern Open?

The 2023 Western & Southern Open will be held from 13-20 August. The hard-court ATP Masters 1000 tournament, established in 1889, will take place at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. The tournament director is Todd Martin.

Who is playing at the 2023 Western & Southern Open?

The Western & Southern Open will feature stars including World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

When is the draw for the Western & Southern Open?

The Cincinnati draw will be made Friday, 11 August at a time to be confirmed.

After Holger Rune lost in the third round of last year’s US Open, the Dane took a couple of days off. He had just fallen in straight sets to Cameron Norrie and was outside the Top 30 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. For a player who has been clear he has ambitions of winning majors and reaching World No. 1, it was simply not enough.

“I just really told myself, ‘Okay, I don't want to be No. 30 in the world and just stay here,” Rune told ATPTour.com this week in Toronto. “I feel like I can be better and do better things, and I don't want to waste my potential. So I worked really hard.”

Ever since, Rune has been on the ascent. By the end of the season, he had won two more titles, including his first ATP Masters 1000 in Paris, made another two finals, served as an alternate at the Nitto ATP Finals and cracked the world’s Top 10.

This year, the Dane has made Masters 1000 finals in Monte-Carlo and Rome, earning wins in 2023 against stars like Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Casper Ruud.

“I improved a lot, both mentally, physically. I really took everything much more serious I would say and I was really determined to push every single day, every tournament I played,” Rune said. “I feel like after the [2022] US Open swing, I really worked even harder and I got to the level where I wanted to be.”

Andy Murray notched his second victory of 2023 against Lorenzo Sonego on Tuesday at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers. It could hardly have been more different than the first.

The three-time champion Murray charged to a 7-6(3), 6-0 triumph to reach the second round at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto. The former World No. 1 produced a masterclass in controlled hitting in blustery conditions to overwhelm Sonego and book a second-round meeting with home hope Felix Auger-Aliassime or Max Purcell.

“It really wasn’t pleasant to play in,” said Murray of the conditions after his win. “It was really blustery, changing direction during the point, and we knew coming in it was going to feel uncomfortable. We hit on this court this morning and it was really breezy.

“So I was expecting it but it still adds a bit of stress to the match and it was a really tight first set. There were lots of opportinties each way, I managed to sneak through the tie-break and after that he was obviously a bit disappointed, and I relaxed a little bit.”

In Doha in February, Murray saved three match points before rallying to a remarkable two-and-a-half-hour win against Sonego. In contrast, he rarely looked out of command in the pair’s second Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, even when the Italian saved three break points across as many different service games to force a first-set tie-break in Toronto.

“I just felt alive again.”

Matteo Berrettini said that last month at Wimbledon. After several months of injury struggles that prevented the Italian from thrilling fans with his powerful game, the 27-year-old finally felt like himself. A former finalist at the grass-court major, a run to the fourth round was a victory.

“Just feeling alive, it means that it's you. You're doing it for [yourself] and you're not thinking about anything else," Berrettini told ATPTour.com. "This is what you love to do.

“That's what I lost a little bit [with the] many injuries that I had. I lost the joy for the sport. I lost everything… That's for me what makes me feel alive.”

At his best, the Rome native is a force on the tennis court. His serve and forehand are among the biggest in the sport. But as he struggled physically, those traits meant little.

One of the most stunning moments of Wimbledon came in a third-round match between Holger Rune and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Serving at 8/8 in a final-set tie-break, Davidovich Fokina was tight. Out of nowhere, the Spaniard used an underarm serve, which backfired. Rune quickly won the point before closing out the match for a place in the fourth round.

Davidovich Fokina, Rune, the fans at the All England Club and viewers from around the world were shocked by the Spaniard’s decision to resort to an underarm serve in one of the most important moments of his career. It was a selection that could have made a painful loss even more difficult.

But Davidovich Fokina revealed on Monday at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers that while he was disappointed, he shrugged it off by the time he reached the locker room. The Spaniard bantered with his opponent that they had split two crazy matches after defeating Rune in a final-set tie-break earlier in the year in Madrid.

“I was dead, because it was a tough match. But I was okay. Life continues,” Davidovich Fokina told ATPTour.com. “I was a little bit sad obviously, because I wanted to play the next round. I was feeling very good and playing very good. But in the end, I'm here in Toronto and growing my game.”

That attitude is the culmination of a mindset shift Davidovich Fokina has made in the past couple of months. Instead of spending his free time on social media — “I saw that I was wasting a lot of time,” he said — the 24-year-old has turned his attention to reading.

Former World No. 3 Milos Raonic turned back time in what may be his farewell tournament on Canadian soil with a stunning three-set upset of ninth seed Frances Tiafoe at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Toronto on Monday night.

After dropping the first set in a 26-point tie-break that ended with a bizarre incident involving Tiafoe touching the net outside the singles post, the 32-year-old rallied to take the second set in a tie-break before racing to a 3-0 lead in the third en route to closing out a 6-7(12), 7-6(4), 6-3 win.

Raonic, who as the first Canadian to crack the Top 10 of Pepperstone ATP Rankings has inspired the current generation of countrymen including Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov, dropped 37 aces in his first appearance on home soil since 2019 and in his first hard-court match in more than two years.

More to follow

Just when fans thought an edge-of-your-seat 26-point first-set tie-break between Frances Tiafoe and Milos Raonic couldn’t get any more dramatic, the match went into near uncharted territory at the ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament in Toronto.

Tiafoe, who was leading 13/12, chased down a high netcord from behind the baseline to angle a low cross-court winner past Raonic, but his momentum carried him into the net before the ball bounced twice, leaving many – including Raonic – to believe that the Canadian would be awarded the point.

Chair umpire Fergus Murphy initially called the net touch but quickly corrected himself and called the point for Tiafoe because the ninth seed touched the net outside of the singles stick. Since Murphy's initial call and correction did not impact the winner, the shot stood and was not replayed as a let.

“Frances, wait, this is complicated…. This section of the net doesn’t count as a touch,” Murphy said as both players approached the chair. “Only after the singles post [does a touch count], Milos.”

Playing in what he has said might be his farewell appearance on home soil, Raonic has received treatment on his lower back during the match but claimed an early break in the third set to turn up the heat on Tiafoe.

Gael Monfils produced a commanding third-set revival after squandering two match points in the second set to oust Christopher Eubanks 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 6-1 at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Toronto on Monday night.

The French showman had Canadian fans in the palm of his hand as he produced a series of dazzling hot shots while breaking the recent Wimbledon quarter-finalist three times in the decider as he produced one of his best sets of tennis for the year.

Monfils served for the match at 5-3, earned two match points on return at 6-5 and also led 4/1 in the second-set tie-break.

“It was a tough match, but I picked up a little confidence last week [in Washington]. It’s always good to beat top players. I am very happy,” Monfils said.

“I served for the match and had a couple of match points, so I had to refocus on the simple stuff, use my quick feet and be more aggressive as I had been tense and let him dictate too much. I was happy with my speed on the court and felt my coverage was a key today.”

The Top 20 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin is littered with some of the biggest stars in tennis, from Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev to former Nitto ATP Finals champions like Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov.

One player in the elite group who might be unfamiliar to some fans is 18th-placed Tallon Griekspoor of The Netherlands. A finalist last week at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, an ATP 500 event, the Dutchman is soaring higher than ever.

“That feels great. That's something really nice. If you look around the names around you in the ranking, those are big names,” Griekspoor told ATPTour.com. “Those are the names you want to play with, play against every week. So yeah, that's something great."

[ATP APP]

At the end of the 2022 season, Griekspoor, then No. 96 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, was most concerned with gaining entry into the main draw of the Australian Open. He was prepared to play an ATP Challenger Tour event at the end of the year to secure his spot if necessary.

Fresh off his first title of the season in Los Cabos, Stefanos Tsitsipas arrives at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers with a familiar voice in his corner. Former World No. 8 Mark Philippoussis is taking the lead on coaching the Greek, while the 24-year-old’s father, Apostolos, is taking a break.

“My father right now, I gave him some time off. He hasn't had time off since I'm 12 years old,” said Stefanos in his pre-tournament press conference. “I think for him, it's very healthy to take some time away from the court and feel refreshed again.

“Parents can get emotional sometimes, and I completely understand that. I'm not a parent myself, but I can imagine how difficult it can be at times seeing your child give it their all and to be going through so much during a match.

“I love him and I want him to be part of that journey that we have built together, and he's not going anywhere. He's still with us, and he's still there following our path and journey.”

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Matteo Berrettini earned another confidence-boosting win on Monday at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers, where he defeated Gregoire Barrere 6-4, 6-3.

The Italian entered Wimbledon having earned just seven tour-level victories all year, but looked close to his best to reach the fourth round in London. Three weeks on and Berrettini quickly looked in control on the Canadian hard courts, striking the ball with explosive power to fire past the Frenchman Barrere in 76 minutes.

Berrettini has won seven tour-level titles in his career but has yet to triumph on hard courts. The 27-year-old, who is making his debut in Toronto, will next play countryman Jannik Sinner in the second round as he aims to change that record.

Another Italian, Lorenzo Musetti, also advanced on Day 1 at the ATP Masters 1000. The 21-year-old produced a clean-hitting display against Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, sealing a 6-4, 6-1 victory after 75 minutes.

Despite rain disrupting the first set, Musetti maintained his concentration, committing just three unforced errors to reach the second round. The 16th seed will next meet Zhang Zhizhen or Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Luca Nardi’s first ATP Challenger Tour title of the season could not have come at a better time.

The Italian #NextGenATP star triumphed at the Porto Open in Portugal on Sunday, when he was celebrating his 20th birthday. The fourth seed Nardi rallied past home favourite Joao Sousa 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 in the final to earn his fourth Challenger trophy.

“I will remember this day, my 20th birthday, my most important title,” Nardi told Sport TV. “For sure it will be special for a long time. It wasn't easy because I knew it would be a very tough crowd today, all for him. I knew that, I respect that. He played good, he had a very solid week and today I think I was very focussed, didn't want to give up.

“The first two matches I didn't play good, but then I played better match by match and I hope I can keep this confidence for the rest of the season.”

Nardi, who is 12th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race, is aiming to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals, which showcases the season’s best 21-and-under players.

One of the biggest storylines of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers is the return to Toronto of home favourite Milos Raonic. Fans idolise the former World No. 3, who has inspired the current generation of Canadians — including Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov — and stars of the future.

So it was fitting that the 32-year-old began his Media Day on Sunday by sitting on the podium in front of a group of kids participating in the Rogers First Set programme, which is designed to introduce Canadian youth to the sport. Who better to put questions to than the player who raised the profile of men’s tennis in Canada more than anyone else of his generation?

After missing nearly two years due to injury, Raonic sat with a big smile on his face. He first returned in June in ’s-Hertogenbosch and also competed in Wimbledon. But now the eight-time ATP Tour titlist is back in action on home soil, where he has made his biggest impact. As journalists filed into the room for the press conference, one reporter asked Raonic if during his absence he feared what his identity might be beyond tennis.

“I think the biggest thing was will I end up finding something I enjoy as much and have the same kind of passion and obsession with as I do with tennis,” Raonic said. “Having a good year plus of no tennis whatsoever, because I didn't pick up a racquet for about 14, 15 months, I was able to calm those fears.

“And then I was able to kind of look at it and try to point out by when I could get ready to try to give it a bit more time and get ready to play at a higher level. And that's kind of a process and then came back about a month and a half ago, two months ago and been enjoying it.”

Fans will need to wait a little bit longer for the start of main draw action at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers. Monday play is being delayed by rain in Toronto.

As it stands, play is to begin not before 11:30 a.m. No matches are underway.

[ATP APP]

When the weather allows, 13 singles matches and four doubles matches are on the order of play. Three Canadians headline the day's slate on centre court. Alexis Galarneau, who last month won an ATP Challenger Tour event in Granby, opens the tournament against Francisco Cerundolo. In the evening session former World No. 3 Milos Raonic faces ninth seed Frances Tiafoe and Vasek Pospisil takes on qualifier Matteo Arnaldi.

Among the other stars in action will be 15th seed Hubert Hurkacz and 16th seed Lorenzo Musetti. In a battle of fans' favourites, Gael Monfils will play Christopher Eubanks. Twelfth seed Tommy Paul will try to oust qualifier and former Top 10 star Diego Schwartzman. 

The road to World No. 1 is rarely straight forward. But some journeys have more twists and turns than others, especially those involving a slide from the mountain top before a character-building return to the summit.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings this month, leading tennis writer and historian Joel Drucker reflects on five remarkable runs to the top.

Andre Agassi at the 1999 US Open. Photo Credit: Jamie Squire/Allsport

Agassi Goes From Agony To Ecstasy

Andre Agassi had long been tennis’ biggest box office attraction. Yet in November 1997, he was competing at an ATP Challenger Tour event in his hometown of Las Vegas. World No. 1 just over two years prior, Agassi at this point was No. 141.

Agassi’s morale had been sapped by his loss to Pete Sampras in the 1995 US Open. Over the next two years, Agassi scarcely devoted himself to tennis. In 1997, he skipped the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon.

Daniel Evans, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Sebastian Baez captured trophies in Washington, Los Cabos and Kitzbühel respectively, in a three-tournament week on the ATP Tour.

ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week as of Monday, 7th August 2023.

[ATP APP]

No. 21 Daniel Evans, +9 (Career High)
The Briton has risen to a career-high No. 21 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after he won the biggest title of his career at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, an ATP 500 event in Washington, D.C. The 33-year-old arrived at the tournament having not earned a tour-level win since April, but produced flawless tennis, dropping just one set across five matches as he defeated seeds Frances Tiafoe, Grigor Dimitrov and Tallon Griekspoor, who upset Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals.

No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, +1
The 24-year-old captured his first title of the season at the Mifel Tennis Open By Telcel Oppo, where he defeated Australian Alex de Minaur in the final. The Greek, who is up one spot to No. 4, has now earned 10 tour-level crowns.

Fans who visited the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers Sunday received a special treat when they were able to watch not just tennis, but stars from the ATP and NHL on the same court together.

The athletes gathered on Court 1 for the tournament’s annual ball hockey game, pitting ATP players against ice hockey stars. Casper Ruud, Hubert Hurkacz Sebastian Korda, Emil Ruusuvuori, Alexis Galarneau, Harri Heliovaara and Jan Zielinski lost 4-1 to the professional hockey players.

“It was fun again. I had to do it. I was in Montreal [last year and played in the game]. I think next year we need to mix the teams. It’s too unfair!” Ruusuvuori said. “It was great. It feels like the people also enjoyed it and us, too. They were great guys. We just had fun, it was good. “

Photo Credit: Peter Powers/National Bank Open
The NHL players who participated were Nazem Kadri, Ryan McLeod, Anthony Cirelli, Quinton Byfield and Hockey Hall of Fame Doug Gilmour.

Byfield, a centre for the Los Angeles Kings who was the second overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, enjoyed spending time with tennis players.