TORONTO: Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate dispatched rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 7-6(7/5), 6-4 on Monday in the ATP Toronto Masters, ensuring a breakthrough into the world ranking top 100.

The 24-year-old from Perth moved to 98th in the ongoing live rankings as he claimed his biggest career victory by knocking out the ATP NextGen champion from last November.

Schoolkate, son of a tennis coach, won his first match over a top-50 opponent on his sixth attempt as he dealt out the number 49 teenager from Brazil.

The qualifier played a quarter-final this month in Los Cabos and won through qualifying for his spot in the Masters main draw.

“I’m very happy with the result,” Schoolkate said. “I played a good match and made it tricky throughout. “He’s so young (18) but already an established player. I’m looking forward to my next match.”

That will be against 2024 Canadian semi-finalist Matteo Arnaldi of Italy.

Schoolkate advanced with 10 aces among his 23 winners.

He caught Fonseca in a first-set tiebreaker and broke for a 2-1 lead in the second set on his way to victory in windy and quick court conditions.

“The conditions suit the way I play,” he said. “I like to serve big and get forward to make things uncomfortable for the opponent.”

The Aussie said he had given some thought to his potential top-100 breakthrough but is not stressing over any self-imposed deadlines.

“My goal now is to be in the top 100 but I’ll just keep playing week-in, week-out, pushing hard and it will come,” he said.

With seeds all receiving byes at the pre-US Open event, the supporting cast again dominated the programme.

American Mackenzie McDonald beat Belgian veteran David Goffin 6-4, 6-4 while Spain’s Jaume Munar put out Canadian wild card Dan Martin with the loss of just three games.

“I’ve been improving my serve a lot,” Munar said. “I’m putting more pressure on the baseline and my mindset is clear. “I still need to be more aggressive to compete against the best ones, I’m going that more and more but I have a long way to go.”

Munar next faces Czech Jiri Lehecka.

France’s Hugo Gaston advanced when Italian opponent Mattia Bellucci quit injured, handing over a 3-6, 6-4, 2-0 win.

Australian Christopher O’Connell joined Schoolkate as a winner with his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Taiwan’s Tseng Hsin Chun.

Australian Adam Walton roared back from a set down to defeat Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 and set up a second-round meeting with Alexander Zverev

World number three Zverev is the top seed of the expanded 12-day event, which will play its final on a Thursday instead of the more traditional Sunday.

Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, the tournament’s 2022 champion, came from behind to defeat Liam Draxl 2-6 6-4 6-4.

ATP number one Jannik Sinner and second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz along with Novak Djokovic all withdrew with various injuries and fatigue issues prior to the tournament, which began only a fortnight after the Wimbledon final.

BOUCHARD EXTENDS CAREER

Meanwhile in Montreal on Monday, hometown hero Eugenie Bouchard beat Emiliana Arango 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 in the first round of the Canadian Open, a win that delayed the former world number five’s retirement.

Bouchard announced earlier this month she would walk away from the sport after the tournament but added a condition to that plan in the wake of her thrilling victory in front of a packed crowd.

“If I win this tournament, I will not retire,” she said in an on-court interview.

Playing in only her second singles match of the year, Bouchard blasted a forehand winner to take the first set but Colombian Arango turned the tables in the second set amid a cascade of unforced errors from her opponent.

However, Bouchard broke for a 3-1 lead in the decider and hammered a swinging volley to extend the advantage to 4-1.

The 31-year-old wildcard put her hands on her head and then her heart after securing the victory to set up a second round meeting with 17th seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.

Briton Emma Raducanu beat her good friend Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania 6-2, 6-4 and will next meet 32nd seed Peyton Stearns.

“It’s very difficult to play someone who you are close to,” Raducanu said.

“I’m really glad about how I was able to put that to one side for the match and back up a good week in [Washington] DC.”

Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan beat Canadian qualifier Ariana Arseneault 6-4, 6-2 in breezy conditions to set up a second-round meeting with 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova of Russia.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2025