Ben Shelton soars into Montreal last 16 as title defence gains momentum

[p]Fifth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shelton-ben/QNuG0Gzb/"]Shelton[/a], the highest-ranked man remaining in a severely depleted field, improved his chance for a second straight title in Canada [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/bergs-z-SbeTx1o8/shelton-b-QNuG0Gzb/?mid=6q5oQyZo"]with the rout in 65 minutes[/a].[/p][p]The American profited from foot faults and double-faults from his Belgian opponent in advancing to a round of 16 for the first time this season.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="f1da07c0-ca94-492d-b97f-3403cdbfe54e" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="eee08071-ac48-4614-8e98-0c3e7f702188" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]"[b]It was a good day for me, I managed the match well[/b]," said 23-year-old Shelton. "[b]He came out serving extremely well. I had to make some adjustments[/b].[/p][p]"[b]I found a way to break his serve and kept the foot on the gas when I got the lead[/b]."[/p][p]Shelton will wait for an opponent as number nine [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruud-casper/zN9UpRqp/"]Casper Ruud[/a], the only other top-10 seed remaining in his half of the draw, plays his fourth-round match against Brazilian teenager [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fonseca-joao/tv073LUc/"]Joao Fonseca[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/griekspoor-tallon/f3zfMU5i/"]Tallon Griekspoor[/a] followed up his defeat of top-seeded Roland Garros champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Alexander Zverev[/a], with the Dutchman gaining late momentum and getting through a rough patch for a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/arnaldi-m-hlVLAfZK/griekspoor-t-f3zfMU5i/?mid=GAhrOpwQ"]3-6, 6-4, 6-3[/a] defeat of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arnaldi-matteo/hlVLAfZK/"]Matteo Arnaldi[/a].[/p][p]The Italian French Open semi-finalist took early command before Griekspoor took motivation through player box instructions from Swedish coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hogstedt-thomas/lhdLJdQ3/"]Thomas [/a]Hogstedt and turned the match on its head.[/p][p]World number 66 Griekspoor went up two breaks in the deciding set against the 2024 Canadian semi-finalist, lost one of them but broke back for victory in his third match point after more than two hours.[/p][embed guid="dad3b3af-1db9-4b2d-a788-8038e5be00a8" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TApLVC3sKQc" social-type="youtube" /][p]"[b]Tennis is such a tricky sport. It's never over until the last ball is hit[/b]," Griekspoor said. "[b]I tried to stay focused, I'm happy with how I managed[/b].[/p][p]"[b]I've had a good level in practice but was not able to convert it to the match court. Today was not easy but I'm pleased after a win like this[/b].[/p][p]"[b]I was far from my best but I'm happy I played myself into the match to win it[/b]."[/p][p]Griekspoor will bid for a quarter-final place when he takes on Spaniard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/daniel-merida-aguilar/WOtXbAu5/"]Daniel Merida[/a], who put out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/michelsen-alex/nDIhfm9l/"]Alex Michelsen[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/daniel-m-a-WOtXbAu5/michelsen-a-nDIhfm9l/?mid=fJnMG2Va"]6-4, 6-7(4), 6-1[/a], saving two match points in the second set for the American.[/p][p]Merida, who had never won a tour-level hardcourt match prior to this week, arrived in Canada after winning the Umag title on clay in Croatia last month.[/p]