Duncan Chan and Alexis Galarneau did it again at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers.
After taking out Alexander Zverev and Marcelo Melo, the Canadian wildcards beat two more Grand Slam winners on Saturday, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Kevin Krawietz, to reach the quarter-finals.
It was a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) thriller on Rogers Court and the loud Montreal fans stuck around even after a rain delay of around two hours.
Herbert is a former NBO champion, not to mention a winner of all four majors in doubles, while Krawietz has won two French Open crowns. But Chan and Galarneau more than held their own.
Chan, a 21-year-old senior at Texas Christian University, had never played an ATP tournament prior to the NBO. In singles, he took the established Thiago Tirante to a third-set tiebreaker and in doubles, the native of Markham, ON has looked right at home. He seems to be a natural at the net. He and Galarneau, who can often dazzle with his shot-making, kept on smiling during changeovers. They’re having fun.
An eventful first set saw Herbert take a medical timeout for a knee injury and the video challenge system used twice (both ended up going in favour of the Canadians).
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The rain came at 5-5.
When they returned, a tiebreaker settled the first. A Herbert double fault at 5-5 was the turning point.
Photo : Mathieu Belanger/Tennis Canada
Down an early break in the second set, a Galarneau lunging forehand return, under the watchful eye of Davis Cup captain Frank Dancevic, got his team back on serve and they broke again for 6-5 as Herbert struck two more double faults. But Chan was broken in the next game, with Galarneau missing two backhand volleys.
No matter. They regrouped in the second-set tiebreak, crucially getting both points on Chan’s second serve at 2-3.
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Chan said with a grin earlier in the week that he would love to be part of Canada’s team against France at the Davis Cup in Quebec City in September. The way they’re playing, he and Galarneau just might be a possibility in doubles for Dancevic.
For now, the duo could meet two more Grand Slam winners, Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic, in the quarter-finals, if the third seeds defeat Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Rikl.
The Davis Cup is coming to Quebec City September 18 and 19 as Team Canada hosts France in the Davis Cup Qualifiers Second Round. Tickets are on sale now. CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS!
Feature Photo: Mathieu Belanger
