Michelsen progresses in the National Bank Open in Toronto, advances to the quarterfinals
The National Bank Open, a prestigious US$9.19-million hardcourt event, is underway and scheduled to run through Thursday. Despite the absence of top-ranked players such as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Jack Draper, Novak Djokovic, and others, the tournament has seen some exciting matches so far.
In the quarterfinals, Alex Michelsen of the U.S. faced Karen Khachanov of Russia. Michelsen, the No. 26 seed, had previously ousted third-seeded Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, but his run in the tournament came to an end as Khachanov emerged victorious with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (3).
The Russian player will now face top-seeded Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. Zverev, who is from Germany, advanced to the next round after beating defending champion Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-3.
Meanwhile, Canadian Victoria Mboko secured her spot in the semifinals after winning her quarterfinal match against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2.
The remaining quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday, featuring matches between Taylor Fritz and Andrey Rublev, and Ben Shelton versus Alex de Minaur. Fritz, who is the No. 2 seed, advanced to the next round after defeating Gabriel Diallo, the last Canadian in men's singles, in straight sets.
The tournament expanded to a 96-player field in 2025, providing more opportunities for players to shine. The ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament also saw Khachanov defeat No. 8 Casper Ruud of Norway with a score of 6-4, 7-5.
As the tournament progresses, fans are eagerly awaiting the upcoming matches, hoping to witness more thrilling performances from the remaining players.
In the upcoming semifinals, Karen Khachanov, who recently defeated Alex Michelsen, will vie against top-seeded Alexander Zverev. Additionally, the women's competition will see Canada's Victoria Mboko face an opponent in the semifinals, having already won her quarterfinal match against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
