Shapovalov, Auger-Aliassime get 1st-round byes at National Bank Open
Pospisil to face 1st-round qualifier, Italy's Musetti withdrawn for COVID-19 breach
Canada's Denis Shapovalov says he's feeling confident heading into next week's National Bank Open in Toronto.
The 22-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., comes into the tournament as the No. 5 seed and will have a bye through the first round.
Shapovalov says he's taken momentum out of Wimbledon where last month he impressed many before falling to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime comes into the National Bank Open seeded ninth and also has a first-round bye, while Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver, the No. 53 seed, will face a qualifier in first-round action.
The women's tournament will take place in Montreal, with Canada's Bianca Andreescu looking to defend her 2019 title.
The event, formerly known as the Rogers Cup, was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Musetti withdrawn for COVID protocol breach
Italy's Lorenzo Musetti has been withdrawn from a U.S. Open tune-up event in Toronto after having left the tournament's COVID-19 controlled environment, Tennis Canada said on Saturday.
World No. 60 Musetti, who fell in the first round of the men's tennis event at the Tokyo Olympics two weeks ago, will be replaced by alternate Max Purcell.
"As per the letter of approval issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada to the National Bank Open to run the event, any individual leaving the controlled environment is in breach of COVID-19 protocol and will be unable to re-enter to compete at the event," Tennis Canada said in a news release.
World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, who reached the quarter-finals in Tokyo, and Rafa Nadal headline the field for the Masters 1000 event where first-round action begins on Monday.
