In a commanding performance on Friday night at the National Bank Open in Toronto, second-seeded Taylor Fritz overcame Canadian Gabriel Diallo 6-4, 6-2 in the third round. The 27-year-old American, ranked world No. 4 and holder of 10 ATP Tour titles, including victories earlier this year on grass courts at Eastbourne and Stuttgart, now faces 19th-seeded Jiri Lehecka from Czechia. Lehecka secured his spot in the round of 16 by defeating 15th-seeded Arthur Fils of France in three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Earlier in the day, sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia battled past Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Rublev will meet Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Czech Jakub Mensik. Reflecting on his match, Rublev said, “In the second and third sets, I was able to play more aggressive, fewer mistakes. Let’s see what’s happening next, I’m super excited and motivated.”

Also progressing was seventh-seeded Frances Tiafoe of the United States, who edged out Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Tiafoe will face Australian Alex de Minaur, who advanced when his compatriot Christopher O’Connell withdrew from the tournament. These matches continue to highlight the competitive depth at this prestigious hard-court event.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina faced an early start at the National Bank Open in Toronto but dismissed concerns with a solid win over Jakub Mensik. Despite publicly criticizing his 11AM match time, the world No. 20 seed swiftly defeated Miami Open champion Mensik 6-2, 6-4 to secure a spot in the fourth round. The match lasted 76 minutes on the Motorola razr Grandstand Court.

Davidovich Fokina, who recently reached the Mubadala Citi DC Open final with victories over Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, has managed a strong US Open series start. After overcoming Corentin Moutet in straight sets in round one, the Spaniard expressed frustration on social media about playing alone at 11AM despite multiple available courts.

Starting aggressively, Davidovich Fokina quickly built a double-break lead against Mensik, who he had already bested twice in 2025. Although Mensik mounted a brief comeback in the second set, Davidovich Fokina reclaimed control, benefiting from an unforced error tally by Mensik including a critical double fault at 0-40.

Mensik, the Masters 1000 titlist who defeated Novak Djokovic earlier this year, challenged Davidovich Fokina as he served for the match but could not convert a break point. Davidovich Fokina sealed victory with a solid forehand winner on match point, ironically finishing before his preferred 12:30 start time and advancing confidently in the tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz, currently ranked world No. 2, has addressed the often-speculated notion of ‘friction’ between him and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Despite their rivalry being a focal point on the ATP Tour, with multiple high-caliber matches including Grand Slam finals, Alcaraz emphasizes the mutual respect and friendship that characterizes their relationship off the court.

Leading the head-to-head 8-5, Alcaraz dominated at one stretch with five consecutive wins, including a memorable five-set triumph over Sinner in the French Open final this June. However, Sinner ended this streak with a four-set victory at Wimbledon, marking their second straight Grand Slam final encounter.

The pair have collectively claimed the last seven Grand Slam titles, establishing themselves as the emerging dominant forces in men’s tennis. Yet, unlike some of the more contentious rivalries in tennis history, there appears to be little animosity between them. Alcaraz told the Financial Times, “Trash-talking gets a lot of attention. People really like the idea that there is friction between us. That’s what sells. But although tennis is an individual sport, we are with the same players every week, day in and day out.

“Jannik and I, who have had great battles on the court, see each other a lot off of it. We talk, we train together sometimes. And in the end you forge a good relationship, a beautiful relationship.

“We want to win and beat each other, but then off court, being good people and getting along is another matter. For me, that is one of the virtues and values of sport.”

Their growing rivalry is seen as a continuation of the legacy established by the Big Three—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic—who collectively won 66 Grand Slam titles. Alcaraz, now 22, and Sinner, 23, are viewed as the next generation to define men’s tennis, though Alcaraz is cautious about the pressure of comparisons. “We try not to think about any pressure and least of all about doing what they did,” he remarked.

Looking ahead to the US Open, all eyes will be on whether the duo will clash in a third consecutive Grand Slam final. Both are former champions in New York, with Alcaraz winning in 2022 and Sinner the reigning champion from last year. They will begin their US Open preparations at the Cincinnati Open, after withdrawing from the Canadian Open.