Monday Digest: 2025 Trophy Cabinet Filling Up

That was one busy week for Canadian tennis. 

The trophies stored rolling in on the ATP and ITF circuits, however a lot of the main target was in Montreal on an exhilarating Davis Cup tie. 

Right here’s what it’s worthwhile to know. 

In Case You Missed It: Canada’s Comeback Falls Quick, Auger-Aliassime Strikes Once more 

Crew Canada introduced by IGA practically picked up a win for the ages of their Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Spherical tie in Montreal towards Hungary, but it surely was not meant to be. The Hungarians defeated Canada 3-2 to knock the 2022 champions out of rivalry in 2025 and ship them to the World Group I in September. 

The hosts obtained off to a sluggish begin within the tie, shedding each singles matches on Saturday to fall inside some extent of defeat. They rallied brilliantly on Sunday, courtesy of a doubles win from Liam Draxl and Vasek Pospisil, who introduced on the finish of the weekend that it was his ultimate Davis Cup tie, adopted by a dominant singles win from Gabriel Diallo, however Marton Fucsovics stopped the comeback within the fifth and ultimate match with a singles win over Alexis Galarneau. 

CLICK HERE for all of the information and outcomes from Canada’s Davis Cup tie in Montreal. 

Félix Auger-Aliassime was on the opposite finish of a wild comeback on the ATP 250 occasion in Montpellier. Within the ultimate of the Open Occitanie, he cruised via the primary set and had a number of match factors within the second however finally was pushed to a third-set tiebreak by qualifier Aleksandar Kovacevic. The Canadian was in a position to cling on, successful his second title already in 2025 in simply his third common tour occasion of 2025. 

He had cruised into the ultimate with wins over Arthur Cazaux, Yunchaokete Bu, and Jesper de Jong earlier than being pushed to the sting by Kovacevic. The win was Auger-Aliassime’s seventh title on the ATP Tour, sixth indoors, leaving him one again of Milos Raonic for essentially the most singles titles all-time by a Canadian. 

Rebecca Marino was the one different Canadian enjoying on the principle tour final week. She misplaced within the first spherical of the Singapore Open to fourth seed Xinyu Wang 

Click on right here for extra information and outcomes from the ATP and WTA Excursions.

What to Watch: Canadian males have prime seeds within the crosshairs 

The draw gods weren’t form to the Canadian males this week on the ATP Tour, as each Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov may meet the highest seeds at their respective tournaments within the second spherical. 

Auger-Aliassime may renew his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz within the second spherical of the ATP 500 occasion in Rotterdam, which the Canadian gained again in 2022, if he beats qualifier Andrea Vavassori within the first spherical.  

Alcaraz has gained the final 4 conferences in a row between himself and the Montrealer and leads the head-to-head 4-3. Nonetheless, Auger-Aliassime has gained each of their earlier conferences on indoor hardcourts. 

If he does upset the four-time main champion, Auger-Aliassime may meet No. 5 seed Holger Rune within the quarter-finals. Andrey Rublev and Hubert Hurkacz are potential semifinal opponents with Daniil Medvedev lurking on the underside half of the draw because the second seed in a loaded bracket. 

Learn additionally: Canada Gave It All the things at Davis Cup, Now a Robust Street Begins

Shapovalov faces an analogous problem as his countryman. If he beats Miomir Kecmanovic within the first spherical of the ATP 250 Dallas Open, he may face prime seed Taylor Fritz within the second spherical. The Canadian truly leads their head-to-head 5-4 however Fritz has gained the final two conferences, with Shapovalov’s final win coming again in 2022.  

An upset may set a quarter-final conflict with sixth seed Tomas Mahac. Third seed Tommy Paul would seemingly be ready within the semis. 

Leylah Annie Fernandez is again in motion for the primary time because the Australian Open this week on the WTA 500 occasion in Abu Dhabi. She is seeded eighth and can meet Moyuka Uchijima within the first spherical. 2024 Newcomer of the 12 months Lulu Solar can be her second-round opponent. 

No. 3 seed Daria Kasatkina is Fernandez’s projected quarter-final opponent. She is within the backside half of the draw with No. 2 seed Paula Badosa. Elena Rybakina is the highest seed.  

Marina Stakusic might be competing in her first WTA Tour important draw of the 12 months this week on the 250 occasion in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She’s going to face Sorana Cirstea within the first spherical with No. 6 seed Jessica Bouzas Maneiro probably ready in spherical two. Fourth seed Anhelina Kalinina is her projected quarter-final opponent.  

Below the Radar: Pure Hat Trick for Mboko 

If Félix Auger-Aliassime’s two titles in three tournaments is spectacular, then take a look at Victoria Mboko. The 18-year-old is an ideal three-for-three in 2025 on the ITF Tour, claiming her third singles title of the 12 months final week at an ITF occasion in Rome, Georgia. 

This title was a bit of bit trickier as she needed to come via qualifying however that didn’t sluggish Mboko down. She as soon as once more gained the title with out dropping a set, together with quarter-final and semifinal wins over compatriots Kayla Cross, whom she beat 6-0, 6-0, and Cadence Brace. The teenager beat Eva Vedder of the Netherlands 7-5, 6-3 within the ultimate. 

Mboko isn’t solely an ideal 17-0 in singles, together with qualifying, this 12 months, however she has not even dropped a set, having gained all 32 accomplished units she’s performed (she gained one match when an opponent retired within the first set). She is as much as six ITF singles titles in her profession, with the W75 in Georgia final week being the most important one but. 

The teenager’s completely good report in 2025 was damaged final week in Rome as she and Cadence Brace have been crushed within the second spherical of the doubles, Mboko’s first loss in any self-discipline this 12 months. She had gained the doubles at her first two occasions too. 

Dan Martin was a winner on the ITF males’s tour, choosing up his first skilled doubles title at an M15 occasion in Huamantla, Mexico with Frenchman Enzo Wallart. They defeated the fourth-seeded Colombian pair of Samuel Heredia and Juan Sebastian Osorio 10-8 within the match tiebreak to assert the title. 

Juan Carlos Aguilar reached the most important ultimate of his profession thus far final week at an ATP Challenger Tour occasion in Cleveland, Ohio in doubles, however misplaced within the title match. 

You’ll be able to observe the Canadians in motion each week right here.