Canadian Tennis Stars Shine at French Open: Four Canadians Advance to Third Round

Canadian tennis players showcased their skills at the French Open, with four athletes securing a spot in the third round. Bianca Andreescu, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov, and Leylah Fernandez emerged victorious in their second-round matches at Roland-Garros.

Auger-Aliassime, the men’s No. 21 seed, demonstrated resilience in a hard-fought battle against German qualifier Henri Squire. The match concluded with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory for the Montreal native.

On the other hand, Shapovalov outlasted No. 25 seed Frances Tiafoe in a thrilling encounter. The Canadian showcased his powerful serve, tallying 21 aces compared to Tiafoe’s one, ultimately securing a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 triumph.

Meanwhile, Leylah Fernandez, seeded 31st in the women’s draw, exhibited her prowess on the clay court by defeating China’s Xiyu Wang 6-3, 6-4. The match, initially suspended due to rain, concluded with Fernandez advancing to the next round.

Andreescu faced a tough challenge against the 23rd seed Anna Kalinskaya, bouncing back after a difficult first set to claim victory with a scoreline of 1-6, 7-5, 6-3. The Canadian star will now prepare to face 12th-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini in the upcoming round.

Looking ahead, Auger-Aliassime is set to compete against 15th seed Ben Shelton from the United States, while Shapovalov gears up to battle eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland. Fernandez will face a tough opponent in eighth seed Ons Jabeur, who has previously bested her in all three of their encounters.

Despite rain delays in Paris, the Canadian contingent at the French Open remains determined to showcase their talent and advance further in the prestigious tournament.

— With files from The Associated Press.