Top Seed Zverev Stunned In Montreal Opener

August 6, 2026

MONTREAL, CANADA - AUGUST 05: Alexander Zverev of Germany walks off the court after his loss to Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in their singles second round match on day four of the ATP 1000 National Bank Open presented by Rogers at Stade IGA on August 5, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

French Open champion Alexander Zverev suffered an early exit at the ATP Montreal Masters after falling to Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in his opening match on Wednesday.

The top-seeded German was beaten 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-4 by the world number 69, who produced a composed performance to claim one of the biggest victories of his career. Griekspoor overcame a difficult first set before taking control of the contest, defeating the third-ranked Zverev in two hours and 34 minutes.

Zverev, who received a first-round bye, was competing for the first time since his Wimbledon final defeat to Jannik Sinner last month. The German had reached the championship match at the All England Club before losing to the Italian, who continues to dominate the men’s game.

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Griekspoor’s victory sends him into the third round, where he will meet either Italian 30th seed Matteo Arnaldi or Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan.

MONTREAL, CANADA – AUGUST 05: Alexander Zverev of Germany and Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands shake hands after their singles second round match on day four of the ATP 1000 National Bank Open presented by Rogers at Stade IGA on August 5, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

The defeat marks a disappointing return to action for Zverev, who enjoyed one of the strongest stretches of his career earlier this season. The 28-year-old reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Munich before finishing runner-up to Sinner in Madrid.

He later achieved a major career milestone by winning his first Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros, becoming the first German man since Michael Stich in 1991 to lift the French Open trophy.

Zverev’s early departure from Montreal follows the withdrawal of second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who pulled out of his home tournament before his first match because of a back injury sustained during training on Monday.

The result opens up the draw in Montreal, with several top contenders now facing an opportunity to make a deep run at the Masters 1000 event.

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