Montreal, August 1, 2026 – Martin Damm Jr. delivered a commanding performance in the first qualifying round of the National Bank Open, dispatching Portugal's Henrique Rocha 6-3, 7-6 to book his place in the next round of the prestigious ATP Masters 1000 hard-court event.
Damm dominates the first set
Martin Damm Jr. set the tone from the very first game. The left-hander from Bradenton, Florida, controlled proceedings with his serve and gave Henrique Rocha virtually no foothold in the return game. Rocha won just 20 percent of points on his opponent's first serve — a figure that underlines the pressure the Portuguese player was under throughout. Damm converted his break points efficiently and claimed the opening set 6-3 without facing a single break point on his own serve.
Damm Jr., son of former Czech professional and US Open doubles champion Martin Damm Sr., arrives in Montreal in fine form. He had just reached the main draw as a qualifier in Washington D.C., before falling to top seed Ben Shelton. The experience gained from those matches appeared to serve him well in Montreal.
Tiebreak decides the second set
Henrique Rocha raised his level noticeably in the second set. The 22-year-old, who grew up in Maia near Porto, won 82 percent of points on his first serve and held firm until 6-6. Six aces demonstrated that Rocha is a capable server in his own right — but it was not enough to match Damm's serving dominance.
In the tiebreak, Martin Damm Jr. pulled away with authority, winning the decisive mini-match 7-3 and leaving Rocha no route back into the contest. Damm's serving statistics told the story of the match in stark terms: 13 aces, not a single break of serve conceded — a genuine statement of serving power.
Outlook: Damm Jr. eyes main draw spot
The victory levels the head-to-head record between the two players. At the Challenger in Sumter in August 2025, Rocha had won their most recent meeting in three sets. In Montreal, it was Damm who had the last word.
For the 22-year-old American, the focus now shifts to navigating the remaining qualifying rounds and securing a place in the main draw of the Masters 1000 event. His performance against Rocha — particularly his flawless serving statistics and composure in the tiebreak — suggests he has every reason to believe he can do exactly that.
