Jannik Sinner starts strong on busy day in Montreal

No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner of Italy started a busy Saturday off right, completing a 6-4, 6-3 sweep of 15th seed Alejandro Tabilo of Chile in the third round of the National Bank Open in Montreal.

Sinner won 23 of 25 first-serve points (92 percent) and collected 16 winners to Tabilo's 12 to punch his ticket to the quarterfinals, where he will face Russian Andrey Rublev, the No. 5 seed. That match is scheduled for later Saturday.

Tropical Storm Debby rolled through Montreal on Friday, postponing all matches and forcing some players -- like Sinner -- to play twice on Saturday.

"Tricky opponent, tricky conditions," Sinner said of his meeting with Tabilo. "It is difficult playing against this type of player. Huge lefty, big potential. I had to be very careful, looking a lot to make the game. It felt like a good match.

"I know in my mind I have to play one more time (today), so there is not much time to be happy and recover. I am happy to play again later."

Rublev also has a victory under his belt already, dispatching American qualifier Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 6-2. The Russian finished with 22 winners against six unforced errors. Nakashima had nine and 13, respectively.

French qualifier Arthur Rinderknech and No. 4 seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland were set to play later Saturday after both prevailed in second-round matches earlier in the day. Rinderknech ousted Italy's Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-2, and Hurkacz picked up a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) win over Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis.

After play resumes between Rinderknech and Hurkacz, the winner will collide with Australia's Alexei Popyrin in the quarterfinals.

Popyrin rallied to pull off a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 upset of No. 7 seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria. Popyrin saved 8 of 9 break points in that match.

The United States' Sebastian Korda also turned back a seeded foe, eliminating countryman and ninth seed Taylor Fritz with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) sweep.

In other action, No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev topped 13th-seeded Dane Holger Rune, Italian Matteo Arnaldi sank Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain via retirement and Japan's Kei Nishikori beat Nuno Borges of Portugal. Nishikori is playing on a protected ranking.

After his win over Fritz, Korda got past Norwegian and No. 6 seed Casper Ruud due to a walkover, putting him in the quarterfinals.

In addition to the Sinner-Rublev and Rinderknech-Hurkacz matches, a clash between Arnaldi and Nishikori was also scheduled for Saturday night.

--Field Level Media