Toronto, Jul 31 (AP) - Canadian sensation Gabriel Diallo, standing at 6-foot-8, asserted his dominance by defeating Italy's Matteo Gigante 6-3, 7-6 (5) to progress to the third round of the National Bank Open. The Montreal native wrapped up the match in 1 hour and 46 minutes, overcoming a rain interruption with poise. In a thrilling encounter, Diallo showcased resilience by saving two set points when trailing 2-5. He broke back to level the set and fought his way into a tiebreaker. Despite Gigante holding a 5-3 advantage, Diallo capitalized on errors, including a crucial double fault from Gigante on match point, to clinch the win. “Tennis is sometimes pretty crazy with the momentum switches that you see throughout a match,” commented Diallo. The triumph adds to Diallo's impressive form, having claimed his first ATP Tour title in the Netherlands last month. He is set to face second-seeded American Taylor Fritz next, who secured a 7-5, 7-6 (1) victory over Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena in another rain-delayed tie. Elsewhere, fellow American and fourth seed Ben Shelton advanced by defeating French qualifier Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-3. Meanwhile, Russian Andrey Rublev, the sixth seed, dispatched France's Hugo Gaston with an authoritative 6-2, 6-3 win. (AP) UNG
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