Rio 2016-bound Nestor/Pospisil duo set to begin doubles play
Team Canada’s Vasek Pospisil and Daniel Nestor will face a stiff test in their first doubles match of the Rogers Cup on Thursday.
The two, who will partner together in men’s doubles at Rio 2016, will take on Australian Nick Kyrgios and American Jock Sock. Kyrgios was upset in the first round of singles action by Denis Shapovalov while Sock, ranked 24th in doubles, has is the regular tour partner for Pospisil.
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Canada’s Vasek Pospisil returns a shot against France’s Gael Monfils on July 27, 2016 at the Rogers Cup in Toronto. (Thomas Skrlj/COC)
“They are a dangerous team, for sure,” Pospisil said on Tuesday. “It has the potential of being a very, very interesting match, for sure.”
While Kyrgios was eliminated in singles in the first round on Monday, Sock has made it through to the third round. He’ll face No. 2 seed Stan Wawrinka earlier in the day on Thursday.
Pospisil, who will also represent Canada in singles in Rio, fell 7-6 (6), 6-0 to France’s Gael Monfils – the No. 10 seed – on Wednesday. After the game, a disappointed Pospisil said he would try to gather some positive emotions heading into doubles action.
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Canada’s Daniel Nestor practices in Toronto on July 27, 2016 ahead of his first doubles match of the Rogers Cup. (Thomas Skrlj/COC)
“Obviously playing with Daniel is going to be great. At the moment it’s hard for me to see that, to be excited about going back on the court soon. But I’m sure… a couple hours, or maybe tomorrow morning I’ll feel a little bit better.”
Nestor is currently ranked eighth in the world in men’s doubles while Pospisil is 22nd. The two have partnered together in the past, including at London 2012.
Canada’s Phillip Bester and Adil Shamasdin will be in doubles action Thursday as well, taking on the duo of Raven Klaasen (Russia) and Rajeev Ram (United States).
Denis Shapovalov returns a ball against Grigor Dimitrov at the Rogers Cup in Toronto on July 27, 2016. (Thomas Skrlj/COC)
In men’s singles, Milos Raonic will face Jared Donaldson of the United States in third round singles action. Raonic breezed through in his first match of the tournament, downing Taiwan’s Yen-Hsun Lu 6-3, 6-3.
In Montreal, Eugenie Bouchard will look to advance to the quarterfinals on the women’s side when she takes on Kristina Kucova of Slovakia. Bouchard, who will play in singles and doubles in Rio, is coming off an impressive upset win on Wednesday.
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Meanwhile, Shapovalov’s Rogers Cup run came to an end on Wednesday, losing in straight sets to Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov. Canada’s Steven Diez and Peter Polansky were eliminated in second round action as well. In Montreal, 19-year-old Francoise Abanda had her tournament run come to an end.
