Russia’s Daniil Medvedev has won the men’s title at the National Bank Open in Toronto with a 6-4, 6-3 win over American qualifier Reilly Opelka.
The tournament’s No. 1 seed, Medvedev saved 4-of-4 break points and won 73 per cent of his total service points in the one-hour, 25-minute match on Sunday.
The six-foot-11 Opelka, playing in his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 final, couldn’t dominate the game with his booming serve, winning 63 per cent of his first service points with eight aces and three double faults.
Medvedev, 25, previously made it to the tournament’s final in 2019 when the event was known as the Rogers Cup but lost to Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal in straight sets.
Italy’s Camila Giorgi won the women’s title in Montreal earlier on Sunday, beating No. 4-seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5.
Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Luisa Stefani of Brazil took the women’s doubles title with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Croatia’s Darija Jurak and Andreja Klepac of Slovenia.
Medvedev, the world No. 2, played much of the match from well below the baseline in order to respond to Opelka’s massive serve.
The Russian faced a triple break point early in the first set Sunday but saved all three, coming back from 0-40 to hold serve at 2-2.
Opelka was broken in the next game when Medvedev sent a giant bomb down the line.
The 23-year-old American, ranked No. 32 in the world, held on despite other potential breaks in the set, but couldn’t solve his opponent and dropped the opener 6-4.
He faced another break in the first game of the second set after Medvedev put another forehand shot straight down the line, but Opelka held on for the save.
A double fault gave Medvedev the break on Opelka’s next serve and the Russian went up 2-1.
Midway through the second set, it was Medvedev who faced a break. Opelka seemed for a moment poised to finally have a chance until he sent a return just wide, and Medvedev held serve to make it 4-2.
He sealed the victory by breaking Opelka once again, with the American sending a return into the top of the net.
