Gabriel Diallo came back from a set down to defeat Frenchman Kyrian Jacquet 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-2 in his first-round match Monday night at the National Bank Open.
Diallo, who grew up just minutes from Montreal’s IGA Stadium in neighbouring Villeray, dazzled the partisan crowd with his blistering forehand winners and five aces throughout the two-hour long match.
The win marked Diallo’s first-ever main draw victory in his hometown and the 50th tour-level win of his career.
“From the jump, I thought I played amazing tennis,” said Diallo. “I didn’t feel like I had many moments where I was breaking down or feeling a bit of the pressure. I played with the crowd at the right moments.
“Every time I turn my head, I see someone that I know from the neighbourhood, the facility, or Tennis Canada. I was grateful to play here, win or lose.”
Diallo broke his opponent’s serve on three occasions, while not being broken on his own serve.
The first set necessitated a tiebreak after both Diallo and Jacquet held serve through each of their six service games.
After winning the first point of the tiebreak, Diallo dropped the next seven points in succession to lose the opening set.
Diallo was not perturbed, immediately earning the first break of the match in just the second game of the middle set.
He would hold serve the rest of the way to force a decider.
The 24-year-old added breaks of serve in both the fifth and seventh games of the final set to secure the win.
“It feels great,” said Diallo. “First rounds are never easy, especially at home. I’m very happy with the way I played, most importantly.”
Diallo will be back on Centre Court Tuesday night for his second-round match against No. 19 seed Luciano Darderi of Italy.
Earlier on Monday, Alexis Galarneau was ousted 6-4 6-4 in his first-round match to Czechia’s Vit Kopriva.
The match was delayed three times because of rain, finishing about five-and-a-half hours after it started.
“It’s tough for everyone, including my team and for the tournament as a whole,” said Galarneau. “As players, we try to get used to having to adapt, but it’s tough having to prepare to play with a notice of 20 minutes or less.
"It’s about always staying ready. It’s not easy, but it’s the same for both players.”
Galarneau was first scheduled to play his first-round match on Sunday night, but rain foiled those plans.
The Laval, Que., native finally took the court Monday but endured multiple more weather delays. Play was stopped after just one service game and resumed more than two hours later, with Kopriva seizing control by breaking serve twice en route to the opening set.
The Czech added another early break in the second set before a final rain delay, then closed out the match after play resumed for good.
Richmond Hill, Ont., native Denis Shapovalov will begin his NBO tournament on Tuesday afternoon against American Zachary Svajda.
Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ont., who was scheduled to play his first-round match Monday against Spaniard Daniel Merida, will now be part of Tuesday’s day session.
Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, meanwhile, was scheduled to contest his second-round match on Tuesday night. The tournament’s second seed will instead play on Wednesday against French qualifier Titouan Droguet.
