Did Shelton Triumph Over Mannarino in Toronto Opener? Rublev Celebrates 250th Hard-Court Win!

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Ben Shelton defeated Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-3.
- Shelton achieved his 25th ATP Masters 1000 victory.
- He won 90% of his first-serve points.
- Andrey Rublev recorded his 250th hard-court win.
- Rublev aims for his second title of the season.
Toronto, July 31 (NationPress) Ben Shelton dominated Adrian Mannarino with a score of 6-2, 6-3 in his first match at the Canadian Open, advancing to the third round.
In a swift 65-minute showdown, Shelton achieved his 25th victory at an ATP Masters 1000 event. The 22-year-old, now ranked No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has secured eight wins in his last ten matches.
The fourth-seeded American excelled by winning 90% (28/31) of his first-serve points and successfully saved both break points he faced, as reported by ATP Stats, marking his first triumph against the French player in their third encounter.
"It got a little dicey in that last game but I am happy with the way I stayed composed at the end and served it out down break point at the end," Shelton remarked.
Shelton is set to face 25th seed Brandon Nakashima, who defeated Ethan Quinn 7-6(6), 6-4. The American is on a quest for his inaugural Masters 1000 title in Toronto and currently ranks ninth in the ATP Live Race To Turin, aiming for his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals this year.
In earlier matches, Andrey Rublev overcame Hugo Gaston with a score of 6-2, 6-3, marking his 250th hard-court victory. The 27-year-old ended the match with a 19-17 ratio of winners to unforced errors against Gaston.
The sixth seed Rublev advanced to last year's title match at the ATP Masters 1000 event, where he was defeated by champion Alexei Popyrin. Now pursuing his second title of the season after winning in Doha, Rublev will next compete against 28th seed Lorenzo Sonego.
In additional news, Canadian Gabriel Diallo progressed to the third round at a Masters 1000 event for the second time, defeating Matteo Gigante 6-3, 7-6(5) after rallying from a 3/5 deficit in the second-set tie-break.