Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz ousted in Montreal shocks

MONTREAL: Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev suffered shock second-round exits at the Canadian Open here at IGA Stadium on Wednesday, while recent Washington Open champion Taylor Fritz also bowed out as a series of major upsets shook the ATP Masters 1000 event.

World number three Zverev, playing his first match since finishing runner-up to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon last month, was beaten 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4 by Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.

The defeat represents an early setback for the German as he continues his preparations for the US Open, which gets under way later this month.

Griekspoor, ranked 69th in the world and arriving in Montreal with just one win from his previous eight tour-level matches, was delighted after recording his third career victory over Zverev.

Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev also made an early exit, losing 6-3, 7-6(5) to fellow Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, who secured his maiden victory over the 2021 US Open champion.

Seventh seed Taylor Fritz was unable to build on his Washington Open triumph, falling 7-5, 6-3 to Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante.

The trio's departures leave only four of the tournament's top 10 seeds remaining. Flavio Cobolli and Andrey Rublev were also eliminated in their opening matches, while Felix Auger-Aliassime withdrew with a back injury.

Meanwhile, world number one Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic opted to skip the Canadian Open, while Carlos Alcaraz remains sidelined with a wrist injury that has also ruled him out of the Cincinnati Open.