Masters 1000 Montreal: Thiago Tirante scores another major upset against a Top 10 player

Thiago Tirante delivered a significant upset at the Montreal Masters 1000, defeating world No. 8 Taylor Fritz in the second round. The Argentine player, currently ranked 65th, secured a resonant victory with a score of 7-5, 6-3 in just one hour and 28 minutes on the Canadian hard courts.

Tirante played a remarkably consistent match, serving 9 aces and winning 96% of his first-service points, though he only landed 49% of his first serves. He hit 19 winners, saved all four break points he faced, and broke Fritz's serve three times. The match also saw Fritz, who had won the Washington tournament just days prior, appear fatigued and receive attention from tournament physiotherapists in the second set.

This victory marks Tirante's third career win against a Top 10 player. Previously, he defeated Ben Shelton (No. 9) in Houston and Andrey Rublev (No. 8) in Bastad. This win on a hard court is considered his best performance on the surface to date. Tirante has been steadily climbing the rankings, starting 2026 at No. 103 and is now guaranteed to rise to at least No. 57 from his current No. 65 position.

Returning to the tour after a brief absence due to an abdominal injury, Tirante expressed satisfaction with his performance. "I think I played at a really good level today, what I had to do to beat Taylor in my first match against him. I could enjoy the match, but I have to keep improving. I wasn't feeling good before, but today I felt different, and I think I had a very good match," Tirante said in a court-side interview. The win also strengthens his case for selection for Argentina's Davis Cup qualifying tie against Turkey in September.

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I think I played at a really good level today, what I had to do to beat Taylor in my first match against him. I could enjoy the match, but I have to keep improving. I wasn't feeling good before, but today I felt different, and I think I had a very good match.