Ben Shelton, the defending champion, faces Belgium's Zizou Bergs in the third round of the Canadian Open in Montreal on Thursday August 7. The American fifth seed remains the tournament favorite after a remarkable wave of upsets swept away the top four seeds in the opening rounds.
Shelton against Belgian power
Shelton has cruised through the first two rounds without dropping a set, defeating Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 7-5 in the second round. The 23-year-old American, whose serve can exceed 145 mph, imposes a suffocating pace on the fast Montreal hard courts. Bergs, ranked 34th in the world, produced an impressive comeback against Sebastian Baez, winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 after losing the opening set. The Belgian carries a 17-16 record in 2026, but his ability to raise his game at big events makes him a dangerous opponent. The two players have met only once on tour, at Houston in 2024 on clay, where the American prevailed in three sets. This time, the fast hard court should favor Shelton's booming serve.
Ruud vs Fonseca, a clash of generations
Casper Ruud, the tenth seed, meets João Fonseca for the second time this season. Their first encounter went the Brazilian's way at Roland-Garros, where Fonseca triumphed in four sets across nearly four hours of play. The 19-year-old prodigy arrives brimming with confidence after his commanding victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round, 7-6(3), 7-5, a match where he displayed remarkable composure in the clutch moments. Ruud, meanwhile, dismantled Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-1, 6-2 in barely over an hour. The Norwegian will be eager for revenge on a faster surface that should better suit his offensive game than the Parisian clay. The winner of this showdown could potentially face Shelton in the quarterfinals, in a bottom half of the draw that promises fireworks.
The Zverev and Medvedev slayers in action
Two more enticing matchups await in the top half of the draw. Tallon Griekspoor, who eliminated top seed Alexander Zverev in the second round, takes on Italy's Matteo Arnaldi. The Dutchman, responsible for the tournament's biggest upset, possesses a formidable serve that helped him neutralize the German. Against Arnaldi, a reliable baseline competitor accustomed to big occasions, Griekspoor will need to maintain that intensity to continue his run. On the other side of the draw, Hubert Hurkacz faces Botic van de Zandschulp, the man who dispatched Daniil Medvedev. The Pole, returning from injury with a protected ranking, defeated Marcos Giron 6-4, 7-6(4) in the second round and is gradually rediscovering his best form. Van de Zandschulp, riding the confidence from his upset over Medvedev, will attempt to back it up against an opponent with an equally dangerous serve.
A wide-open road to the quarterfinals
Without Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Zverev, Medvedev or Taylor Fritz, the Canadian Open offers a rare opportunity for the challengers. Shelton, chasing a second consecutive title, remains the biggest name standing, but the Dutch giant slayers and young Fonseca's momentum promise a second week full of twists. The quarterfinals, scheduled for Friday, could deliver yet more surprises in this thoroughly unpredictable 2026 edition.
