Top seed Alexander Zverev launched his Canadian Open campaign with a gritty 7-6(6), 6-4 victory over Adam Walton in Toronto. The 28-year-old German, a seven-time ATP Masters 1000 champion, including a 2017 title in Canada, survived a lung-busting rally to claim a pivotal set point in the first-set tiebreak after trailing 3/5.
Although Zverev was broken while serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set, he quickly recovered to seal the one-hour, 42-minute encounter. He will now face 32nd seed Matteo Arnaldi, who overcame Australian Tristan Schoolkate 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Zverev holds a 1-0 advantage in their head-to-head meetings.
Eighth seed Casper Ruud, playing just his second event since Roland Garros, eased past Roman Safiullin 6-3, 6-3 and will next meet Nuno Borges. The Portuguese player staged a comeback to beat Argentine Facundo Bagnis 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-2.
Holger Rune, who had withdrawn from Washington last week with back issues, returned strongly to beat Daniel Altmaier 7-6(7), 6-3—his first hard-court victory since reaching the Indian Wells final in March.
Meanwhile, 2021 Canadian Open champion Daniil Medvedev moved past lucky loser Dalibor Svrcina 7-6(3), 6-4, but acknowledged he is still searching for peak form.
Lorenzo Musetti also found winning momentum, defeating James Duckworth 7-5, 6-1 to snap a three-match losing streak. The 23-year-old Italian, currently sixth in the ATP Live Race, eyes a maiden ATP Finals appearance and will next face American Alex Michelsen, who beat Tomas Barrios Vera 7-6(7), 6-3.