Day two of the National Bank Open offered a marginal step up in quality as a few more main draw regulars crept in, and we finally saw some recognisable names on court.
However, this was not a Masters 1000. Between retirements, qualifiers, and lopsided beatdowns, the early rounds of this expanded format continue to feel like an overpriced Challenger event disguised as elite tennis.
Still, there were some key points to discuss. Tristan Schoolkate backed up his strong form with a solid win over Joao Fonseca, reminding fans that fast courts and big serves are a dangerous combo in Toronto.
Mackenzie McDonald dispatched David Goffin in straight sets, showing off his clean ball-striking and comfort on North American hard courts.
Elsewhere, one of the bigger surprises came as Matteo Gigante, a wildcard, took out Borna Coric in three sets.
The Croatian looked to be cruising after taking the first, but a drop in intensity opened the door, and Gigante didn’t hesitate, handing Coric an early exit that could be a precursor to several seeded players could be in trouble this week.
With seeded players finally entering on Day 3, Zverev, Medvedev, Rune, and Musetti among them, the tournament might just start resembling a Masters-level event from here on out.
Here’s a full breakdown of Day 2 results and what’s ahead on Tuesday.
Day Two Canadian Open 2025 Round of 128 Results
Winner
Loser
Scoreline
Tristan Schoolkate (Q)
Joao Fonseca
7-6(5) 6-4
Dalibor Svrcina (LL)
Alexander Blockx (Q)
6-4 6-2
Aleksandar Vukic
Pedro Martinez
7-5 6-3
Christopher O’Connell
Chun Hsin Tseng (LL)
6-1 6-2
Francisco Comesana
Damir Dzhumur
6-3 7-5
Arthur Rinderknech
Alexis Galarneau
7-6(2) 6-3
Fabian Marozsan
Hugo Dellien
6-2 6-2
Ethan Quinn
Yoshihito Nishioka
7-6(1) 6-2
Adrian Mannarino (Q)
Marcos Giron
6-4 6-4
Hugo Gaston
Mattia Bellucci
3-6 6-4 2-0 RET
Yunchaokete Bu
Vit Kopriva
7-6(4) 6-2
Tristan Boyer (Q)
Aleksandar Kovacevic
7-5 7-6(3)
Pablo Carreno Busta
Liam Draxl (WC)
2-6 6-4 6-4
Mackenzie McDonald
David Goffin
6-4 6-4
Matteo Gigante (WC)
Borna Coric
4-6 6-2 7-6(2)
Roberto Carballes Baena
Camil Ugo Carabelli
6-4 4-1 RET
Key Matches
Tristan Schoolkate def. Joao Fonseca, 7-6(5), 6-4
Qualifier Tristan Schoolkate produced a statement win over establishment darling Joao Fonseca on Monday.
The 24-year-old Aussie, fresh off a quarter-final run in Los Cabos, wielded his booming serve like a sledgehammer, dropping just four of 37 first-serve points.
The fast Toronto courts are playing into the hands of big servers, allowing them to dictate with aggressive forehands and net forays as Schoolkate left Fonseca scrambling.
The Brazilian, who was surely a big favourite for the title given the absence of Alcaraz and Sinner, couldn’t disrupt Schoolkate’s rhythm, especially in a first-set tiebreak where the Aussie’s clutch serving sealed the deal
Mackenzie McDonald def. David Goffin, 6-4, 6-4
Mackenzie McDonald kept it clean against David Goffin, securing a 6-4, 6-4 win with his trademark speed and precision.
This is the perfect type of surface for McDonald’s game as he’s a flat ball striker and has excellent ability to redirect pace. Goffin can do that too, but on outdoor North American hardcourts, Mackie is more at home.
Highlights
Canadian Open 2025 Day 3 Round of 64 Matches
Alexander Zverev (1) vs Adam Walton
Tristan Schoolkate (Q) vs Matteo Arnaldi (32)
Tallon Griekspoor (24) vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Jaume Munar vs Francisco Cerundolo (14)
Daniil Medvedev (10) vs Dalibor Svrcina (LL)
Nicolas Arsenault (WC) vs Alexei Popyrin (18)
Alexandre Muller (29) vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs Holger Rune (5)
Lorenzo Musetti (3) vs James Duckworth (Q)
Tomas Barrios Vera (Q) vs Alex Michelsen (26)
Denis Shapovalov (22) vs Learner Tien
Reilly Opelka vs Tomas Machac (16)
Karen Khachanov (11) vs Juan Pablo Ficovich (Q)
Emilio Nava (Q) vs Ugo Humbert (17)
Nuno Borges (30) vs Facundo Bagnis (Q)
Roman Safiullin vs Casper Ruud (8)