All eight quarter-finalists were born in the 2000s
As Jakub Mensik unleashed that final lob to close out a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp on Sunday in Montreal, history was officially made at the National Bank Open.
The 20-year-old Czech completed a quarter-final lineup made up entirely of players born in the 2000s – a first-time occurrence in ATP Masters 1000 history.
All eight quarter-finalists in Montreal are aged 25-and-under as Mensik joined Brandon Nakashima (25), Luciano Darderi (24), Ben Shelton (23), Arthur Fils (22), Daniel Merida (21), Learner Tien (20) and Rafael Jodar (19) in the last-eight stage.
It marks the first time since the 2007 Rolex Paris Masters that a quarter-final lineup – at any ATP event, not just the Masters 1000 level – has featured eight players that are 25-and-under.
Back then in Paris, it was Andy Murray (20), Richard Gasquet (21), Rafael Nadal (21), Marcos Baghdatis (22), Mikhail Youzhny (25), David Ferrer (25) and David Nalbandian (25) who led the youth charge.
It’s also the first time since the 2003 Cincinnati Open that four or more Masters 1000 quarter-finalists are aged 21-and-under (Jodar, Mensik, Merida, Tien).
In Cincinnati 23 years ago, five players belonged to that age bracket: Robbie Ginepri (20), Andy Roddick (20), Guillermo Coria (21), David Nalbandian (21) and Mardy Fish (21).
Nearly two decades later, we’re witnessing a new wave of young players making a name for themselves on the ATP Tour.
Shelton is the defending champion and is carrying a nine-match winning streak in Canada heading into his quarter-final clash with Mensik.
The pair are the only remaining players left in the draw to have previously won a Masters 1000 crown.
“It wasn't easy conditions to play in. I struggled to find my footing on a lot of balls, as did he. A lot of it just comes down to grit in a match like this. So to come through with a win against a really high-quality player like Joao is huge for me,” Shelton said following his 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over Joao Fonseca in the round of 16 on Sunday.
Jodar, who faces Fils on Monday, has made the quarter-finals or better in seven of his last eight tournaments contested since the start of April.
The Spanish teenager’s rise has been truly incredible.
He was ranked 540 this time last year. Today he is No.15 in the world and rising.
A runner-up at last week’s ATP 500 event in Washington DC, Jodar is seeking his first Masters 1000 semi-final. He owns the third-most match-wins (33) on tour so far in 2026.
“I’m super happy with my performance. I’ve been playing a lot of matches in these past few weeks. In Washington DC last week and here as well, already three. But I’m taking care of my body very well with my team, with my dad, with the physios from the ATP. I’m trying to go match by match, knowing that every match is very difficult,” said Jodar after his 6-3, 6-3 win over Jiri Lehecka on Saturday.
Darderi has also been the picture of consistency this campaign.
The Italian world No.22, who squares off with Nakashima on Monday, is the first player to reach 10 tour-level quarter-finals this season, surpassing Alexander Zverev and Shelton, who made nine each so far in 2026.
He is bidding for his second Masters 1000 semi-final, having already achieved that feat in Rome earlier this year.
Merida, and Nakashima are contesting their first Masters 1000 quarter-finals.
The 63rd-ranked Merida arrived in Montreal searching for his first-ever ATP Tour win on hard courts. He’s now one of the last eight men standing at the tournament and has guaranteed himself a top-50 debut when the new rankings are released next week.
He beat Tallon Griekspoor in the round of 16 and will take on Tien for a shot at a place in the third ATP semi-final of his career, and first at this level.
Nakashima was 0-5 in last-16 clashes at the Masters 1000 level before he beat Arthur Rinderknech to reach the biggest quarter-final of his career in Montreal.
The American, who celebrated his 25th birthday on August 3, was a semi-finalist in Washington DC last week.
Tien’s victory over Thiago Agustin Tirante in the round of 16 was the American’s 50th tour-level win on hard courts and it earned him a second Masters 1000 quarter-final of his career after reaching that stage in Indian Wells in March this year.
He is the youngest American men’s quarter-finalist in Canada since Roddick achieved that feat at 19 back in 2002.
It’s been a decade since a Frenchman (Gael Monfils) has reached four Masters 1000 quarter-finals in a single season – that is until Fils stormed into his fourth Masters 1000 quarter-final of the year with a straight-sets win over Cameron Norrie in Montreal on Saturday.
“It’s Saturday night, we’ve got to enjoy the night,” said Fils, who put on a show against Norrie and fired a stunning 19 forehand winners in a match that ended at nearly midnight.
“It was a very, very nice battle against Cam, he’s a huge competitor.
“The forehand is back, that feels good. My level is rising game after game. I’m very confident and very happy with the way I’m playing now and hopefully it’s getting better and better.”
A quarter-finalist in Indian Wells and a semi-finalist in Miami and Madrid so far at the 1000-level in 2026, Fils takes a 5-5 record against top-20 opponents this season into his clash with the 15th-ranked Jodar on Monday.
ROLAND-GARROS
17 May - 6 June 2027
