Fritz Advances, Rublev Falls In Toronto

Mike Lawrence/ATP Tour

Taylor Fritz continued his push to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals on Wednesday when he moved past Frenchman Ugo Humbert 7-6(7), 3-6, 6-3 at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers.

The American, who is currently ninth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, was made to work hard against Humbert at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Fritz saved one set point at 5/6 in the first set, before he played with intensity and aggression in the third set to triumph after two hours and 30 minutes.

Fritz now holds a 28-7 record on hard courts in 2023, highlighted by title runs on home soil in Delray Beach and Atlanta. The eighth seed, who suffered first-round defeats in his previous two appearances in Toronto in 2016 and 2021, will next meet Alex de Minaur after the Australian downed Gabriel Diallo 6-4, 7-5.

In other action, Mackenzie McDonald earned his fourth Top 10 win when he upset World No. 7 Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-3.

The American, who had failed to advance beyond the first round in his two previous appearances in Toronto, combined aggression with consistency against Rublev. McDonald struck 21 winners and committed just five unforced errors to advance after one hour and 28 minutes.

With his victory, McDonald improved to 2-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Rublev, who is 40-16 on the season. The World No. 59 McDonald will next meet home favourite Milos Raonic, a 6-4, 6-3 winner against Taro Daniel.

Rublev captured his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown in Monte-Carlo earlier this season and is currently fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, 800 points ahead of ninth-placed Fritz, who reached the semi-finals at the year-end event last year. Fritz (2.470 points) is 125 points behind eighth-placed Casper Ruud.