American tennis star expected Canadian fans to be 'more hostile'

For American tennis star Taylor Fritz, he wasn’t exactly a crowd favourite heading into a Friday night National Bank Open match in Toronto.

Taking on 23-year-old Canadian Gabriel Diallo, Fritz — currently ranked No. 4 in the world — took down Diallo in straight sets, beating him 6-4, 6-2.

But while many of those in attendance at Sobeys Stadium were rooting for Diallo, Fritz was expecting a few more jeers coming his way on the night.

“I know that they’re going to be going crazy for him. To be honest, I thought the crowd was very mild for me playing, well, mild maybe is not right… I thought it was going to be a little bit more hostile, but I guess everyone’s just so nice,” Fritz said with a laugh. “I’ve dealt with a lot worse, so I’m always prepared for the worst.”

What do the other Americans think of Canada?

Fritz is one of five American males in the tournament’s Round of 16, having eliminated the final Canadian left in the men’s singles draw.

While Fritz, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and Alex Michelsen all come in as mainstays on the ATP Tour, the tournament has been an eye-opening experience for 19-year-old Learner Tien, who eliminated Denis Shapovalov in the Round of 64 before beating Reilly Opelka to advanced to the final 16.

“Toronto’s been great, actually. Yeah, I’m staying in the city downtown, it’s a very nice spot. There’s lots of good food around. It’s not super different from the U.S. from what I’ve seen. It’s been great.,” Tien said earlier this week. “Everyone’s really nice. Everyone seems like they like tennis. Everyone’s pretty into it. It’s been great. I feel like the fan engagement is very high, and there’s a good energy around the grounds. It’s been really cool. ”

Shelton was the final American man to book his ticket into the last weekend of the tournament, beating countryman Brandon Nakashima in a third-set tiebreak

“Good crowd, good atmosphere, fast, bouncy courts. Can’t ask for much more,” Shelton had said earlier in the week. “It’s a little bit warmer here this year than I remember, and the ball’s more lively and a little bit faster than I remember.”

The National Bank Open continues on Saturday with the first matches starting at 12:30 p.m. ET.

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