Milos Raonic has won eight tour-level titles. He's reached No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, and he's played in a Wimbledon final. But Raonic has yet to win a home ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, an achievement that would satisfy him more than almost anything else on the ATP World Tour. Raonic, the sixth seed this week at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal, talked about that elusive title and his biggest win at a Masters 1000 so far. Which ATP World Tour Masters 1000 host city is your favourite and why? A standout is Toronto because that's where I grew up but also, I like the fact that the Masters 1000 tournament in Canada continually changes year in...
What’s been the secret to Denis Shapovalov’s success in Quebec this season? “Maybe it’s the poutine,” said the Canadian with a laugh of the Quebecois dish, ahead of the Coupe Rogers. The 18 year old won 13 straight matches in the Canadian province, picking up a pair of ATP Challenger titles in Drummondville and Gatineau, before the run came to an end last week in the Granby semi-finals (l. to Polansky). On Tuesday afternoon in Montreal, with Wayne Gretzky watching from his box, Shapovalov collected another W in Quebec as he saved four match points en route to victory over Rogerio Dutra Silva on Court Central. “It’s pretty crazy, the Challengers that I’ve won have been in home in Canada,”...
Canada's Daniel Nestor has played his home ATP World Tour event a staggering 29 straight times, having made his debut in 1989. He boasts the honour of having won every ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event, although never in Montreal. Less than a month shy of his 45th birthday, Nestor feels he has unfinished business as he has his sights set on clinching the Coupe Rogers in Montreal. He holds a 45-26 tournament record with 12 different partners, winning Toronto titles in 2000 with countryman Sebastien Lareau and 2008 with Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic. [ALSO LIKE] What do you remember about your Masters 1000 debut here (in Montreal) in 1989? I remember two things – playing a close doubles match on Centre Court...
Juan Martin del Potro needed two breaks of serve, and that's exactly what he made happen against John Isner at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal on Monday. The Argentine broke at 5-5 in both sets and overcame 24 aces from the 14th-seeded American to advance 7-5, 7-5 at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Canada. Del Potro, a 2009 finalist in Montreal (l. to Murray), improves to 11-0 in opening-round matches this season. He never faced a break point and converted just enough of them against Isner (2/7). The Argentine was glad to be back in Montreal after missing the 2015 edition. “It's amazing for me. I missed this tournament a lot. I couldn't play the last editions...
Wayne Gretzky knows a thing or two about being the best in his discipline, and it comes as no surprise to the hockey legend that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are currently battling for No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, more than a decade after the pair first dominated the ATP World Tour. “Oh yeah, when you’re that good and that dedicated, anything is possible,” Gretzky exclusively told ATPWorldTour.com in Montreal on the opening day of main draw action at the Coupe Rogers. Gretzky hung up his skates at the age of 38, finishing his career with four Stanley Cups, an all-time best 894 goals and countless records in 20 NHL seasons. Federer, a five-time year-end World No. 1,...
