Montrealer Diallo's breakthrough run ends with quarterfinal loss at Madrid Open
Tennis
MADRID — Montreal's Gabriel Diallo's impressive run at the 2025 Madrid Open ended in the quarterfinals Thursday with a 6-4, 6-3 loss to Italy's Lorenzo Musetti.
Diallo, known for his powerful serve, couldn't find his usual rhythm, finishing with no aces and winning just 24 per cent of his second-serve points.
Musetti, seeded 10th at the clay-court event, broke the 23-year-old Canadian four times and applied steady pressure on return.
The Italian employed a tactical approach, returning from well behind the baseline and frequently targeting Diallo's forehand to shorten rallies and limit the Canadian's effectiveness on serve.
'I probably didn't show my best tennis, but the important thing (about) this match was to take the win no matter how I was playing,' said Musetti.
Musetti will face No. 5 seed Jack Draper of Britain in the semifinals.
Diallo, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser, reached his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal with wins over Zizou Bergs, Kamil Majchrzak, former world No. 8 Cameron Norrie and 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov.
He began the tournament ranked a career-high No. 78 and is projected to rise to No. 53, according to the ATP's live rankings.
Diallo will be the third highest-ranked Canadian when the new rankings are released Monday, behind Denis Shapovalov, who is projected to rise to No. 28 after reaching the Round of 32 in Madrid, and Félix Auger-Aliassime, who is set to fall nine spots to No. 27 after a Challenger Tour loss in Portugal on Thursday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Matteo Manassero and Ryan Fox share the 3rd-round lead in the RBC Canadian Open
CALEDON, Ontario (AP) — Matteo Manassero and Ryan Fox each shot 6-under 64 on Saturday to share the third-round lead in the RBC Canadian Open, the final event before the U.S. Open next week at Oakmont. Manassero rebounded from a three-putt bogey on the par-4 17th with a birdie on the par-5 18th — hitting an 80-yard third shot to 2 feet — to get to 14-under 196 on the North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. 'I missed the short one on 17, and I did miss a couple more short ones today,' Manassero said. 'I try to think of them just like a shot really, like a driver, like a 6-iron, whatever. It's just a shot. So I don't want it to get in my head, and I don't want that to ruin anything or my attitude going towards the next shots.' Trying to win for the first time on the PGA Tour, the 32-year-old Italian player has eight international victories. 'I try to get a good attitude, a good thought process, talk well to myself. Very basic things,' Manassero said. 'I've matured a lot and I have a better perspective towards, for example, a day like tomorrow.' Fox also birdied the 18th. The 38-year-old player from New Zealand won the Myrtle Beach Classic last month in a playoff for his first PGA Tour title. 'To be honest, everything went pretty right,' Fox said. 'I drove it great. I think if you do that round here, you give yourself lots of chances. Had a lot of good wedge shots, holed a few putts early. Just played really solid kind of stress-free golf for the most part.' Lee Hodges, Kevin Yu and Matt McCarty were a stroke back. Hodges and Yu shot 63, and McCarty had a 64. Canadian Mackenzie Hughes (64) was 12 under with Jake Knapp (66) and Andrew Putnam (68). 'I've been putting the ball in play quite a bit, driving it pretty nice,' Hughes said. 'I feel like that's taken some pressure off the putter and the short game. It's a big key around here. You start driving it well, you can attack and be aggressive.' Canadian Nick Taylor, the 2023 winner at Oakville, eagled the 18th for a 69 to get to 10 under. Countrymen Adam Hadwin (65) and Taylor Pendrith (67) also were 10 under. Masters champion Rory McIlroy missed the cut Friday, following an opening 71 with a 78. ___ AP golf:
Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
- Edmonton Journal
Tajon Buchanan, Jonathan David lead way as Canada downs Ukraine at Canadian Shield
Article content Daniel Jebbison, who plays in England for Bournemouth, came on to start the second half for his second cap, in place of Promise David. Ukraine's Heorhiy Sudakov had a glorious chance in the 72nd minute but put his header over the crossbar. The Canadians were not as connected in the second half although Jonathan David came close to his hat-trick in the 75th, only to see his redirect go high. Substitute Jayden Nelson hit the goalpost in the 78th minute. Jonathan David extended a minute later to a standing ovation. Buchanan made it 3-0 in the 81st minute, outmuscling a defender in front of goal to knock home a ball headed his way off a Canadian free kick for his fifth Canadian goal. Canada improved to 7-4-5 under coach Jesse Marsch with one of these ties turning into a penalty shootout win over Venezuela and another into a shootout loss to Uruguay, both at last summer's Copa America. Canada's previous scoring high under Marsch was a 3-0 win over No. 137 Suriname in November 2024.
Toronto Sun
2 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Tajon Buchanan, Jonathan David lead way as Canada downs Ukraine at Canadian Shield
Published Jun 07, 2025 • 4 minute read Canada's Jonathan David slots past Ukraine's goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin for his country's opening goal during first half action in the Canadian Shield Tournament, at BMO Field in Toronto, Saturday, June 7, 2025. Photo by Chris Young / THE CANADIAN PRESS Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. TORONTO — Tajon Buchanan scored a goal and set up two more by Jonathan David as Canada defeated Ukraine 4-2 on Saturday in the opening game of the inaugural Canadian Shield Tournament. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Promise David, no relation, also scored for Canada in his senior debut. Both Ukraine goals came in the dying minutes. Illia Zabarnyi scored in the 89th minute, tapping home a teammate's header to cheers from the pro-Ukraine crowd. Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko added another from the penalty spot in stoppage time after Buchanan was pinged for handball in the Canadian penalty box. GOAL 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦 TAJON BUCHANAN GETS HIS GOAL 😎#CanMNT go up 4-0 over Ukraine 🇺🇦 as Tajon scores off a set piece routine ✨ 🔴 Watch LIVE on OneSoccer & TSN — OneSoccer (@onesoccer) June 7, 2025 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It was an impressive outing, full of offensive flair, by the 30th-ranked Canadian men in their first outing since finishing third at the CONCACAF Nations League Finals in March. And when No. 25 Ukraine threatened, goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was up to the task for the first 88 minutes. Jonathan David upped his Canadian men's record goal total to 34 in 62 appearances. Buchanan, meanwhile, looked back to his electric self on the wing. No. 86 New Zealand faced No. 41 Ivory Coast in the late game at BMO Field. On Tuesday, Canada plays Ivory Coast after New Zealand faces Ukraine. There will be a trophy awarded after the two competition days, with games going straight to a penalty shootout if tied after 90 minutes. A regulation-time win will be worth three points, with a penalty shootout victory two points and shootout loss one point. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. There were plenty of yellow- and blue-clad fans in Saturday's announced crowd of 20,145, cheering on Ukraine which has not played at home since Russia invaded in February 2022. There are more than 1.3 million Canadians of Ukrainian descent and Canada has accepted some 300,000 refugees from Ukraine since the war started. The Ukraine starters came out with Ukraine flags draped on their shoulders. Mykola Matviyenko's captain's armband was emblazoned with the chevrons of Ukraine's combat brigades. The Ukraine anthem was sung with gusto on a sunny 17 C afternoon. And pro-Ukraine chants started soon after the kickoff. But Canada went ahead in the fourth minute with Buchanan as playmaker down the right flank. Buchanan beat two defenders and then floated a cross to Jonathan David whose initial header was cleared off the goal-line by a defender. The ball came right back to David who made no mistake with a second header. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. That drew chants of Canada, Canada. Crepeau made a pair of key saves soon after to preserve Canada's lead, denying an attempted chip by Zinchenko after making an acrobatic save from close-range. Buchanan and Jonathan David combined again in the 24th minute with David, off a Buchanan cross, deftly, flicking a header backwards past goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, who plays in Portugal for Benfica. Promise David, who scored 24 goals in all competitions for Belgian champion Union Saint-Gilloise this season, made it 3-0 in the 31st minute, pouncing on an errant pass by defender Valeriy Bondar before sliding a low shot through Trubin to open his Canada account. David, a local boy who had friends and family in the stand, celebrated with an enthusiastic slide towards the corner flag. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Daniel Jebbison, who plays in England for Bournemouth, came on to start the second half for his second cap, in place of Promise David. Ukraine's Heorhiy Sudakov had a glorious chance in the 72nd minute but put his header over the crossbar. The Canadians were not as connected in the second half although Jonathan David came close to his hat-trick in the 75th, only to see his redirect go high. Substitute Jayden Nelson hit the goalpost in the 78th minute. Jonathan David extended a minute later to a standing ovation. Buchanan made it 3-0 in the 81st minute, outmuscling a defender in front of goal to knock home a ball headed his way off a Canadian free kick for his fifth Canadian goal. Canada improved to 7-4-5 under coach Jesse Marsch with one of these ties turning into a penalty shootout win over Venezuela and another into a shootout loss to Uruguay, both at last summer's Copa America. Canada's previous scoring high under Marsch was a 3-0 win over No. 137 Suriname in November 2024. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Marsch, who said he planned to use his entire roster across the two games, fielded a young, relatively inexperienced squad. The starting 11 went into the game with a combined 241 caps, with 186 of those supplied by Buchanan, David, captain Stephen Eustaquio and Derek Cornelius. Five Canada starters — Promise David, Zorhan Bassong, Luc de Fougerolles, Nathan Saliba and Niko Sigur — went into the game with three caps or less. The average age of the Canadian starting 11 was 22.5 years. Marsch said some of his roster selection was enforced, given Nelson, Sam Adekugbe and Ali Ahmed missed training after arriving sick in the Canadian camp in Halifax following the Vancouver Whitecaps' trip to Mexico for last Sunday's CONCACAF Champions Cup final loss to Cruz Azul. Nelson came in off the bench in the 64th minute. Ukraine also went to its bench, with goalkeeper Dmytro Riznk of Shakhtar Donets replacing Trubin in the 66th minute. Ukraine also brought a young squad, with six of its starters from domestic clubs. The other five were from clubs in England, Greece, Portugal and Spain. Olympics Toronto & GTA Columnists Toronto & GTA Opinion
