Novak Djokovic of Belgrade, Serbia and Rafael Nadal of Manacor, Spain have been a dynamic force over the years at the National Bank Open (better known in recent years as the Rogers Cup or the Canadian Open). We all know what these men’s tennis icons have accomplished in grand slam events. Nadal has won 22 grand slam titles, (the most all-time) while Djokovic is right behind him with 21.
One may not realize that Djokovic and Nadal have had solid success at the Canadian Open too. Nadal has been victorious five times (2005, 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2019), while Djokovic has been victorious four times (2007, 2011, 2012, 2016). There have been only two other men’s singles players who have won the Canadian Open four times or more. Canadian Charles Smith Hyman of London, Ontario was victorious five times (1884, 1886, 1887, 1888, and 1889), and Ivan Lendl of Ostrava, Czech Republic (at the time Czechoslovakia) was victorious for a record six times in the tennis era a century later than Smith Hyman (1980, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1988, and 1989).
As the National Bank Open commences at IGA Stadium in Montreal, Quebec on Monday, there will be no Nadal or Djokovic. Nadal is out with an abdominal injury he suffered in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, where he beat American Taylor Fritz in five sets—3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6. Djokovic is unable to enter Canada because he is unvaccinated. With the absence of Djokovic and Nadal, it is time to take a look at who are the contenders this week.
Daniil Medvedev
The defending champion of the National Bank Open, Daniil Medvedev of Moscow, Russia had quite the summer a year ago. He not only won the National Bank Open where he beat American giant Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-3 in the final, but followed that up with his first and only grand slam title at Flushing Meadows where he beat Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Medvedev also reached the 2019 Canadian Open final, but lost to Nadal 6-3, 6-0. In Montreal this year, Medvedev is the number one seed.
Click below to bet on Daniil Medvedev (+250) to win the National Bank Open 2022 at BetOnline, one of the best US betting sites.
Carlos Alcaraz
Nobody on the ATP Tour had a better spring at the Masters 1000 level than Carlos Alcaraz, the 19-year-old Whiz Kid from Spain. At the age of 18 years and 11 months, he became the youngest player ever to win the Miami Open where he beat Norway’s Casper Ruud, 7-5, 6-4, and then the youngest player ever to win the Madrid Open, where he beat Germany’s Alexander Zverev, 6-3, 6-1. In Montreal this week, Alcaraz is ranked second.
Click below to bet on Carlos Alcaraz (+475) to win the National Bank Open 2022 at BetOnline, one of the best tennis betting sites.
Stefanos Tsitsipas
The native of Athens, Greece is only 23 years of age. but has already reached five ATP Masters 1000 Series Finals. In 2018 in Toronto, Tsitsipas made the final of the Rogers Cup, but lost 6-2, 7-6 to Nadal. Tsitsipas does have two career ATP Masters 1000 Series titles, but both of them came on clay at Monte Carlo. He is seeded third in Montreal.
Click below to bet on Stefanos Tsitsipas (+1400) to win the National Bank Open 2022 at BetOnline below.
Casper Ruud
Casper Ruud has become the best Norwegian tennis player all-time even though he is only 23 years of age. The French Open finalist in June lost to Alcaraz in the Miami Open final in April. Even though Ruud is a clay court specialist (eight of nine ATP titles are on the dirt), he did win the 2021 San Diego Open on hard court, where he beat Cameron Norrie of Great Britain in the final convincingly, 6-0, 6-2. Ruud is seeded fourth in Montreal.
Click below to bet on Casper Ruud (+2500) to win the National Bank Open 2022 at BetOnline.
Andrey Rublev
Like Medvedev, Rublev is Russian, and has had some fine results on hard court. His most magnificent stretch came in the fall of 2020, when he won three ATP tournaments at the 500 level. So far in 2022, Rublev has won three titles–Marseille, Dubai and Serbia. Rublev is seeded fifth in Montreal.
Click below to bet on Andrey Rublev (+2500) to win the National Bank Open 2022 at BetOnline.
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