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Analytics & Stats National Bank Open WTA

Pegula and Sakkari Set for 12th Meeting at Montreal National Bank Open

Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari meet for 12th time at Montreal; Pegula leads rivalry 6-5.

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Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari, two seasoned competitors, will meet for the 12th time in Montreal on Wednesday. The American holds a narrow 6-5 lead in their head-to-head series, having claimed victory in their last three encounters, including a straight-set win in Adelaide earlier this year.

Both players, aged 31 and 30 respectively, climbed the rankings together early in the decade. However, their trajectories have since diverged. Pegula is currently ranked No. 4, boasting a strong 35-14 record in 2025 with three titles across various surfaces. She also enters the tournament as the two-time defending champion in Canada.

Sakkari, by contrast, sits at No. 72 with a 19-21 record for the season. While she once dominated their rivalry, winning four of the first five meetings, consistency has become a challenge. Nevertheless, her athleticism remains evident; she notably defeated the No. 2 seed Emma Navarro in Washington D.C. last week.

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The match is set to begin at approximately 1:40 p.m. ET.

This encounter highlights the contrasting fortunes of two players familiar with each other’s games, with Pegula defending her status among the elite and Sakkari aiming to revive her previous form.

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Analytics & Stats National Bank Open WTA

Iga Swiatek’s Commanding Victory at 2025 Canadian Open Matches Serena Williams’ Milestone

Iga Swiatek extends winning streak and moves closer to her first Canadian Open title in 2025.

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Iga Swiatek opened her 2025 Canadian Open campaign with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory over qualifier Hanyu Guo in the tournament’s second round in Montreal. The world No. 3 demonstrated the form that took her to the Wimbledon title, breaking the 27-year-old Chinese player six times, including four times in the second set, after a swift 4-0 lead in the first set.

In doing so, Swiatek extended her streak of consecutive games won to 24, continuing the momentum from her flawless Wimbledon final against Amanda Anisimova, and the closing games of her semi-final against Belinda Bencic. Reflecting on her performance, Swiatek said, “I prepared for this match like I would for any other.” She noted, “I saw that my opponent played great in the first round, so I had some information. However, I preferred to focus on myself, on getting adjusted to the hard court again.”

Swiatek also highlighted her preparation after Wimbledon, stating, “I had time to celebrate a little bit after Wimbledon and got back to practice already in Warsaw, but obviously in different conditions.” She added, “I’m happy I had a chance to come here earlier. I feel like every day I made a bit of progress, so that’s the best thing you can have at the beginning of a swing, and then you just have to keep it up.”

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Her win marked her 115th victory at WTA 1000 level in just 142 matches, a feat only 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has surpassed, achieving the same milestone in 130 matches since the format was introduced in 2009. Additionally, Swiatek extended her remarkable run of consecutive first-round wins on the WTA Tour to 63, coming just one short of Monica Seles’ record of 64.

Swiatek now prepares to face world No. 69 Eva Lys in the third round. She aims to claim her first Canadian Open title, having previously reached the semi-finals in 2023. The 24-year-old did not compete in last year’s tournament, held shortly after the Paris Olympics, but holds a career record of 7-3 at this event.

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Analytics & Stats ATP

Ranking the Top 10 ATP Players of the 21st Century

A comprehensive ranking of the top 10 ATP Tour players of the 21st century, based on achievements.

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Assessing the greatest ATP Tour players since 2000 involves examining numerous factors including Grand Slam victories, total titles, and overall impact within their competitive era.

At the summit is Novak Djokovic, who stands unmatched with 24 Grand Slam titles, a record 428 weeks as world No 1, 40 Masters 1000 titles, and the singular achievement of winning every Grand Slam event thrice.

Rafael Nadal is renowned for his clay court dominance with 14 French Open titles and 92 ATP titles in total, including 36 Masters 1000 trophies and Olympic gold, while completing a Career Grand Slam.

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Roger Federer, a defining figure of men’s tennis, holds 20 Grand Slam singles titles and 103 ATP titles overall, highlighted by a staggering 310 weeks as world No 1.

Andy Murray’s achievements include three Grand Slams, 46 ATP titles, and two Olympic gold medals, along with 41 weeks at No 1, underscoring his place among the century’s elite.

Carlos Alcaraz, at 22 years, has already captured five Grand Slams and 21 ATP titles including seven Masters 1000 wins, heralding a promising future.

Andre Agassi secured three Australian Open titles in the early 2000s, seven Masters titles, and multiple stints at world No 1 before retiring in 2006.

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Jannik Sinner has marked 60 weeks at No 1 and four Grand Slams since 2024 amidst a promising career stack of 20 ATP titles.

Lleyton Hewitt dominated the early 2000s with two Grand Slams, 28 ATP titles from 2000 onwards, including two Masters and back-to-back ATP Finals victories.

Stan Wawrinka impressed with three Grand Slams and a peak ranking of No 3 during one of tennis’s most competitive eras, collecting 16 titles.

Daniil Medvedev’s 20 ATP titles include six Masters 1000 wins and a 2020 ATP Finals victory, alongside a 2021 US Open triumph and multiple Grand Slam final appearances.

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These ten players exemplify excellence and resilience, setting standards for future generations in men’s tennis.

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Analytics & Stats ATP Masters

Andrey Rublev Achieves Career Milestone with 250th Hard-Court Win at Toronto Masters 1000

Andrey Rublev secures his 250th career hard-court win with a strong start in Toronto 2025.

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Andrey Rublev commenced his 2025 Toronto Masters 1000 campaign with a solid victory against Hugo Gaston, prevailing 6-2, 6-3 in straight sets. This win marks the 250th hard-court triumph of Rublev’s professional career, an impressive feat that places him among a select group of players born in 1990 or later. Specifically, Rublev is only the second man born in 1997 or after to attain this milestone, following Alexander Zverev.

Rublev currently holds a career record of 250 wins to 143 losses on hard courts, translating to a winning percentage of 63.6%. Despite a challenging stretch from February to May 2025, during which he managed only two wins in seven tournaments and saw his ranking fall from No. 9 to No. 17, the Russian player has since regained form. Since the week before Roland Garros, Rublev has compiled a 13-6 record in seven events, including a final in Hamburg, back-to-back fourth-round appearances at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and a semifinal showing at Los Cabos.

Following Wimbledon, Rublev briefly re-entered the ATP Top 10 at No. 10 but has since slipped to No. 11 this week after Alex de Minaur’s resurgence, fueled by his recent title in Washington D.C.

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