The National Bank Open main event begins on Monday at Toronto and Montreal, for men’s and women, respectively. Draws for the men’s singles event are out and Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal are leading the draws. The tournament is back after a yearlong hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rafael Nadal is the defending champion in the men’s singles category and Bianca Andreescu in the women’s singles. However, the form and mood of players have changed a lot over the past two years. It will be a tough road for everyone leading up to the US Open later this month.

Close encounters to watch out for in the men’s event

The Rogers Cup is back as the National Bank Open this year after its 2019 campaign. Daniil Medvedev is the top seed in Toronto this year along with Rafael Nadal as the second seed. The Spaniard will look for a powerful performance in order to defend his crown. He recently made an early exit at the Citi Open, where he was the number one seed.

The likes of Grigor Dimitrov, Hubert Hurkacz, Casper Ruud and many others have received byes in their first round. A potential second round match between Kei Nishikori and Hubert Hurkacz can take place. Another important match is the potential second round meeting between Casper Ruud and Marin Cilic.

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Potential opponents for Rafael Nadal in the respective rounds

In order to retain his title, Nadal needs to cross a hurdle in every round. Courtesy of his seeding, the first round is a bye for the Spaniard, however, the second round match is hard. Nadal faces South African Lloyd Harris in the second round. He recently lost against the South African at the Citi Open in the second round as well.

If he wins the match against Harris, he will face either Grigor Dimitrov, Nick Kyrgios or Reilly Opelka in the third round. However, the problem starts at the quarterfinal stage. He can face a potential challenge from Roberto Bautista Agut, another Spanish in the fray. Diego Schwartzman is another potential quarterfinal opponent for Nadal.

The semifinals are just as difficult as any other round. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Cameron Norrie and Casper Ruud are the potential semifinal opponents for Nadal. Although the finals are far-fetched, Daniil Medvedev or Andrey Rublev will wait for the Spaniard. Nadal has sorted himself a tough week of preparation ahead of the US Open.

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Potential quarterfinal matchups in Toronto

The National Bank Open will be a blockbuster event leading up to the US Open. Potential exciting quarterfinal matches have the fans hooked to their seats in Toronto. The most anticipated match will be between Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz, with the Russian aiming for a potential podium finish. However, the Polish star stands in his way.

Other quarterfinal matches include Rafael Nadal and Diego Schwartzman, Casper Ruud and Tsitsipas and Denis Shapovalov and Andrey Rublev.

Who have you got for the title in Toronto?

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