Charlotte Fc vs Toronto Fc Picks and Predictions July 26th 2025

Taberner Shocks Top Seed Cerundolo in Croatia

Spain’s Carlos Taberner delivered one of the biggest surprises at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open, battling from a set down to eliminate top-seeded Francisco Cerundolo 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-5 in the second round on Wednesday in Umag. Despite being outgunned in total winners 50 to 20, Taberner capitalized on Cerundolo’s 65 unforced errors, nearly doubling his own total of 36.

The upset marked a significant shift in the draw, as two other seeded players also exited the tournament. Argentina’s Mariano Navone, the fifth seed, fell to Jesper De Jong of the Netherlands, while Czech eighth seed Vit Kopriva was dispatched by France’s Titouan Droguet.

However, not all seeds were vulnerable. Italy’s second-seeded Luciano Darderi and Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur, the No. 4 seed, both advanced with straight-set victories. Croatia’s Dino Prizmic, backed by the home crowd, overcame a slow start to defeat Nikoloz Basilashvili 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 and set up a third-round encounter with Darderi.

Fritz Rolls as Seeds Tumble in Washington

Over at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C., top-seeded Taylor Fritz kept his campaign on track with a clinical 6-3, 6-2 win over Australia’s Aleksandar Vučić. Fritz fired 11 aces and faced just one break point as he cruised into the third round.

But it was otherwise a day of upsets. Fifth seed Andrey Rublev was sent packing by American teenager Learner Tien, who claimed a composed 7-5, 6-2 victory. Elsewhere, China’s Yibing Wu edged out No. 10 Alexei Popyrin in three sets, while Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi got the better of No. 16 Lorenzo Sonego with a 7-5, 7-5 performance.

Fritz now faces Arnaldi in what promises to be a thrilling third-round match.

Other top seeds had mixed fortunes. Seventh-seeded Alex De Minaur advanced smoothly, while No. 8 Daniil Medvedev and No. 11 Jiri Lehecka were forced to fight through three sets to avoid elimination.

Local favorite Frances Tiafoe, the sixth seed and a native of nearby Hyattsville, Maryland, battled past Aleksander Kovacevic 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in front of an energetic evening crowd. Tiafoe unleashed seven of his 12 aces in the deciding set, including a critical break in the eighth game to seal the match.

Spain’s Flavio Cobolli (No. 9) and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 12) also moved on in straight sets, further stabilizing a draw that saw several higher seeds fall.

Bublik Advances, Seeds Crash in Kitzbuhel

In Kitzbuhel, Austria, top-seeded Alexander Bublik made light work of Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante, notching a 6-3, 6-4 victory to advance to the third round of the Generali Open.

But the tournament draw saw a dramatic shake-up. Second seed Sebastian Baez of Argentina was knocked out by Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann, a 33-year-old qualifier who held his nerve in a tight 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 win. The result continues Hanfmann’s dream run and further opens up the field.

Third seed Pedro Martinez Portero and fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut, both from Spain, exited with straight-set losses. The only other seed remaining is France’s Arthur Rinderknech, the sixth seed, who came from a set down to defeat Slovakia’s Norbert Gombos 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4.

The day also saw the exits of No. 7 Francisco Comesana and No. 8 Marton Fucsovics, both eliminated in straight sets, leaving the Generali Open wide open for an unseeded champion to emerge.