TRThe ATP Montreal Masters faced significant challenges as its top two seeds, Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, exited the tournament early. Zverev, ranked world No. 3 and the reigning French Open champion, lost to Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor in the second round with a score of 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-4. Zverev expressed disappointment, calling it one of the worst matches of his season. Meanwhile, Auger-Aliassime, a Montreal native, withdrew due to a sudden back injury sustained during training, despite having no prior issues. His absence further diminished the tournament's star power, especially after world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic had already withdrawn. Tournament director Valerie Tetreault acknowledged the impact of these losses, noting that fans were eager to see Auger-Aliassime compete. In contrast, fifth-seeded defending champion Ben Shelton made a strong comeback, defeating American Jenson Brooksby and advancing to the third round.
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