Montreal Seeds Fall as Griekspoor, Van de Zandschulp and Atmane Redraw the Hard-Court Picture

Montreal delivered the sharpest shocks of the day, with Tallon Griekspoor overturning Alexander Zverev 6-7 6-2 6-4 and Botic van de Zandschulp removing Daniil Medvedev 6-3 7-6 in two results that immediately loosen the shape of the ATP draw. Griekspoor’s response after dropping a tight opening set was particularly impressive: he tightened his service patterns, took time away from Zverev in the forecourt exchanges, and finished with the greater clarity under pressure. Van de Zandschulp, meanwhile, produced one of his most controlled hard-court performances of the season, denying Medvedev the rhythm and court position on which his defensive game depends.

The disruption did not stop there. Daniel Merida Aguilar dismissed Ugo Humbert 6-3 6-3, while Terence Atmane beat Karen Khachanov 6-4 7-6, giving Montreal a distinctly open early-round complexion. Alex Michelsen continued his rise with a clean 6-3 6-4 win over Francisco Cerundolo, and Matteo Arnaldi edged Fabian Marozsan 7-5 2-6 6-4 in a match that swung sharply before the Italian restored order late. Tommy Paul avoided the upset wave, beating Valentin Royer 6-4 7-6, while Jakub Mensik advanced past Jacob Fearnley 6-3 3-6 6-3 and Titouan Droguet defeated Jaime Faria 7-6 6-2.

In Toronto, the WTA field produced a different kind of statement day: less chaotic at the top, but rich in meaningful performances. Naomi Osaka defeated Panna Udvardy 6-2 6-4, showing controlled aggression and a solid first-strike game, while Coco Gauff moved past Kayla Day 6-2 7-5 after being tested more seriously in the second set. Mirra Andreeva was ruthless in a 6-0 6-2 win over Karolina Pliskova, a result that underlined both her returning quality and her ability to redirect pace on hard courts. Maria Sakkari also progressed efficiently, beating Zeynep Sonmez 6-3 6-2.

There were notable WTA upsets and breakthrough results as well. Alina Korneeva defeated Emma Navarro 6-2 6-2 in one of the day’s most emphatic scorelines, Liudmila Samsonova beat Barbora Krejcikova 6-1 7-5, and Caty McNally took out Linda Noskova 7-6 6-1 after controlling the second set with impressive authority. Alexandra Eala handled Alycia Parks 6-1 4-6 6-2, Maya Joint beat Sorana Cirstea 6-4 6-4, Leylah Fernandez defeated Renata Zarazua 6-2 6-2, and Elise Mertens came from behind to beat Anna Bondar 3-6 6-4 6-4.

Beyond the main tours, Lexington offered a strong Challenger storyline as Dusan Lajovic recovered from a first-set bagel to defeat Lloyd Harris 0-6 6-3 6-4. Sebastian Gorzny edged Borna Gojo 6-4 2-6 7-6, Andre Ilagan came through against Soon Woo Kwon 3-6 7-6 6-4, and Abedallah Shelbayh beat Federico Cina 7-6 6-2. Looking ahead, the Montreal schedule is highlighted by Learner Tien against Gael Monfils and Droguet’s meeting with Felix Auger-Aliassime, while the Challenger calendar brings Damir Dzumhur, Rei Sakamoto against Michael Mmoh, and a busy Warsaw WTA Challenger slate into focus. With several seeds already removed, both Canadian draws now move into their next phase with unusual volatility and a clear opportunity for aggressive hard-court players to seize momentum.