Monday Digest: Biggest Wimbledon Warm-Up Week

Apart from the Wimbledon fortnight, this week is the most important week of the grass season the place many of the world’s greatest, together with many Canadians, ramp up their preparation on the European lawns in a number of the greatest warm-up occasions.

The Canadians acquired their toes moist final week, however now the stress is on as The Championships draw ever nearer.

Here’s what it’s good to know.

In Case You Missed It: Sluggish Begins on a Quick Floor

Canadian tennis followers had been overjoyed to see a well-recognized face firing lasers on the lawns of s-Hertogenbosch final week as Milos Raonic made his return to the tour after almost two years away. The previous world No. 3 regarded in classic kind in his opening-match win over Miomir Kecmanovic however went down within the second spherical of the Libema Open to eventual runner-up Jordan Thompson.

Bianca Andreescu and Carol Zhao additionally opened up their grass-court seasons with wins within the Netherlands however, like Raonic, had been each defeated within the second spherical by Viktoria Hruncakova and Veronika Kudermetova respectively.

Denis Shapovalov and Rebecca Marino kicked off their grass swings final week however had been defeated of their first-round matches in Stuttgart and Nottingham.

Learn additionally: The Grass-Court Season Kicks Off

Richard Gasquet reached a powerful milestone, scoring his 600^th profession win on the ATP Tour, doing so in type by upsetting prime seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in Stuttgart. He’s additionally the fourth lively participant to hit that mark together with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.

Frances Tiafoe gained that title, permitting him to make his High 10 debut on Monday. It’s the first time in over a decade that two American males, Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, are ranked within the High 10.

Native followers got a deal with in Nottingham as Katie Boulter defeated Jodie Burrage in an all-British last. Three of the 4 semifinal spots belong to Brits.

Learn additionally: The Short Story of the Grass Season

Maria Sakkari was the lone High 10 lady getting her grass season underway final week however was upset within the second spherical of Nottingham by Alize Cornet.

What to Watch: Raonic Prepared for Revenge

Milos Raonic won’t have to attend lengthy to take one other swing at Jordan Thompson because the pair will meet within the first spherical of the Cinch Championships this week on the prestigious Queen’s Membership.

A victory would see the Canadian face off with home-favourite Cameron Norrie within the second spherical. He’s in the identical quarter as Stuttgart champion Frances Tiafoe and is within the prime half of the draw with Carlos Alcaraz.

After dropping his opening match final week, Denis Shapovalov scored his first grass win of 2023 in Halle on the different ATP 500 occasion this week, defeating Lloyd Harris in straight units. He’ll face both Alexander Zverev or Dominic Thiem in spherical two, a wild first-round matchup contemplating they met in a Grand Slam last not even three years in the past earlier than each acquired struck with accidents.

Learn additionally: A New Battle for WTA Supremacy?

Shapovalov might have met Felix Auger-Aliassime in spherical two, however the Canadian No. 1 withdrew with an damage and was changed within the draw by Zverev. He might face second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas within the quarter-finals. Daniil Medvedev is the highest seed.

Bianca Andreescu is competing on the lone WTA 500 occasion this week in Berlin. She’s going to face Marketa Vondrousova within the first spherical and will play fourth seed Ons Jabeur in spherical two. She is in a loaded third quarter of the draw that additionally consists of Maria Sakkari, Victoria Azarenka, and Alize Cornet.

Total, the Berlin draw is stacked with seven of the WTA High 10 in attendance, together with world Nos. 2 and three Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina as the highest two seeds.

Learn additionally: Remembering Novak Djokovic’s 2011 Wimbledon-Canada-US Open Sweep

Rebecca Marino is competing on the WTA 250 occasion in Birmingham this week and performs Wang Xiyu within the first spherical. She might face seventh seed Zhang Shuai in spherical two and is in the identical quarter as third seed Magda Linette. Barbora Krejcikova and Jelena Ostapenko are the highest two seeds.

Beneath the Radar:

The Canadians placed on an excellent displaying on the ATP Challenger occasion in Puerto Rico, with each Alexis Galarneau and Liam Draxl reaching the quarter-finals. Draxl upset prime seed Yu Tung-lin within the first spherical.

Gabriel Diallo additionally reached his second Challenger quarter-final in as many weeks on grass in Nottingham.

Learn additionally: Cleeve Harper and Layne Sleeth Shine in NCAA

Two extra Canadians reached quarter-finals on the ITF circuit. Stacey Fung reached the final eight at a W60 occasion in Sumter, South Carolina, whereas Jessica Alsola, who had upset top-seeded countrywoman Cadence Brace within the first spherical, acquired to the quarters of a W25 in Colorado Springs.

In some non-Canadian outcomes of be aware on the ATP Challenger Tour, it was a throwback week with Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori profitable titles. Their victories on Sunday got here precisely 5,600 days after they each gained ATP 250 occasions on the identical day in 2008.

For Murray, it’s two Challenger titles on grass in as many weeks and he’s now on a 10-match profitable streak, placing himself inside vary to be seeded at Wimbledon. Nishikori’s win was his first title at any stage since 2019.

The joint ATP Challenger-ITF W100 in Ilkley, Nice Britain this week options each Gabriel Diallo and Katherine Sebov.

You’ll be able to observe the Canadians in motion each week here.