Montreal, August 1, 2026 – What looked set to be a straightforward affair for experienced Frenchman Hugo Gaston turned into one of qualifying's most remarkable stories: Duncan Chan, a 21-year-old local favourite from Markham, Ontario, defeated Gaston 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 to earn a place in the main draw of Canada's most prestigious ATP event.
Gaston dominates the opening set — Chan fights back
The opening set belonged almost entirely to the Frenchman. Gaston, seeded No. 5 in qualifying and recently ranked in the vicinity of the top 100, combined his left-handed game with clinical efficiency: he converted a remarkable 80 percent of his break points and took the first set 6-2. Chan, whose ATP ranking sits at around No. 640, initially had no answer to Gaston's solid hardcourt form.
The second set, however, brought a dramatic shift. Chan steadied his serve — winning 71 percent of points on first serve — and began attacking returns with far greater aggression. Converting 44 percent of return points, he piled increasing pressure on Gaston, took his break points more cleanly, and claimed the second set 7-5.
Chan puts on a masterclass in the deciding set
In the third and deciding set, Chan imposed himself on his serve and gave Gaston virtually no break points to work with. The Canadian's overall service numbers — 60 percent of serve points won — reflected a clear upward trajectory as the match progressed. Gaston, who struck just one ace across the entire match and committed six double faults, was unable to cope with his opponent's rising intensity. Chan closed out the third set 6-3, sealing a superb three-set victory.
The overall statistics underline Chan's dominance throughout: 52 percent of total points to Chan against 48 percent for Gaston — a narrow but consistent advantage that grew more pronounced with every set.
Context: a result of symbolic importance for Canadian junior tennis
Chan's wildcard entry was part of a Tennis Canada initiative to give emerging players the opportunity to compete at the highest level. That the player — who competes in college tennis at Texas Christian University in the United States and was named Big 12 Player of the Year in 2026 — seized that opportunity so emphatically makes the result all the more meaningful. For Hugo Gaston, on the other hand, this early qualifying exit is a bitter setback. Despite a dominant opening set, his break point conversion rate and a first-serve percentage of just 48 percent ultimately proved insufficient to contain the rising Canadian star.
