Canadians Denis Shapovalov, Milos Raonic, Bianca Andreescu and Rebecca Marino started their grass season on the right foot on Tuesday.
Shapovalov, who is 117e in the world, began his journey at the Stuttgart Open by ousting Frenchman Matteo Martineau 7-6 (5), 7-5. It was the first career duel between the two tennis players.
He will meet in the next round with the Italian Matteo Berrettini, who surprised the Russian Roman Saffiulin, eighth seed, in three sets of 7-6 (8), 5-7 and 7-5 earlier in the daytime.
For his part, Raonic, 197e player in the world, surprised Australian Jordan Thompson 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Tennis Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, in the Netherlands. The 33-year-old Ontarian improved his career record against Thompson, the tournament’s eighth seed, to 2-1. Raonic also obtained his revenge against Thompson, who eliminated him in the round of 16 of the tournament in 2023.
The representative of the maple leaf will meet in the second round with the winner of the duel between the Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut and the Swiss Marc-Andrea Hüsler, a qualifier.
Furthermore, Montrealer Gabriel Diallo (165e) lost 6-4, 4-6 and 7-5 to Italian Mattia Bellucci in the first round of the Nottingham II Open.
In the women’s category, Andreescu defeated Dutchwoman Eva Vedder 4-6, 6-3 and 6-2 in the first round. It was the first career duel between Andreescu, who ranks 228e world rank, and Vedder, 173e racket in the world.
The 2019 US Open champion, who made her return to action at the French Open after a long break caused by an injury suffered at the National Bank Open in Montreal in August 2023, will face China’s Yue in the second round Yuan, seeded sixth.
For his part, Marino reached the second round of the Nottingham Open by defeating the Swiss Viktorija Golubic 6-1, 6-4. The British Columbian, which points to 157e world rank, will meet in the second round with the third seed, the British Katie Boulter. The latter barely took the measure of her compatriot Harriet Dart 6-7 (5), 6-4 and 7-5 earlier in the day.
In women’s doubles, Ontarian Gabriela Dabrowski and her playing partner Erin Routliffe will play their first round match against Britons Alicia Barnett and Freya Christie on Wednesday morning, still at the Nottingham Open.