Following first-round byes, the top eight seeds at the Montreal Masters will be taking the court on Thursday–among them Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev. Sinner is kicking off his week against Borna Coric.
(1) Jannik Sinner vs. (Q) Borna Coric
Sinner will be back in action for the first time since Wimbledon when he begins his National Bank Open campaign on Thursday. The top-ranked Italian lost to Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals at the All-England Club and then missed the Paris Olympics due to tonsillitis. That means Sinner is well rested and ready to go at this Canadian Masters 1000 event, of which he is the defending champion.
Up first for Sinner in the second round is Coric, who dropped their only previous encounter 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 on the red clay of Monte-Carlo in 2022. The 94th-ranked Croat has dealt with all kinds of physical problems of his own and is just 9-14 on the main tour this season. Coric lost right away in both Atlanta and Washington, D.C. but did well to beat Pedro Martinez 6-4, 6-4 in Montreal on Wednesday. A massive step up in competition will likely bring a swift end to the 27-year-old’s stay north of the border.
Pick: Sinner in 2
[yop_poll id=”1409″]
(3) Daniil Medvedev vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Medvedev and Davidovich Fokina will be going head-to-head for the fifth time in their careers. All four of their previous meetings have gone Medvedev’s way and he is 8-2 in total sets against the Spaniard. Their two previous outdoor hard-court showdowns came most recently, with the Russian rolling 6-3, 7-5 last spring in Indian Wells and 6-2, 6-3 earlier this year in Dubai.
There is little reason to think Davidovich Fokina will turn the tide. The world No. 42 missed Wimbledon because of a back injury and his comeback on hard courts has been a mixed bag. He reached the Atlanta quarterfinals before losing to Flavio Cobolli from five match points up in the Washington, D.C. third round. Medvedev has been unspectacular in 2024 and is still seeking his first title, but a third-round exit from the Olympics at the hands of Felix Auger-Aliassime should have him at least somewhat rested for this tournament. Count on Medvedev making relatively quick work of his Montreal opener.
Pick: Medvedev in 2
[yop_poll id=”1410″]
WWW?
Sinner in 2; Med in 2.