TORONTO — The Toronto Farewell Tour was short-lived.
Veteran tennis player Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C., who confirmed last week that the National Bank Open in Toronto would be his final hurrah on the pro circuit, was eliminated Sunday in the first round of men's singles by qualifier Facundo Bagnis of Argentina at Sobeys Stadium.
Bagnis won the best-of-three match on Centre Court 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in one hour, 57 minutes.
Pospisil wrote on X before his match: "Eighteen years of professional tennis. Looking forward to playing in front of you one last time Toronto."
The 35-year-old Pospisil had a career-high singles ranking of world No. 25, and No. 4 in doubles. Along with partner Jack Sock, he won the 2014 Wimbledon Championships and the 2015 Indian Wells Masters men's doubles titles. He also reached the quarterfinals in singles at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships.
He also won a Davis Cup championship in 2022.
Against Bagnis, Pospsil had 17 winners, 39 unforced errors, six aces and five double faults. The 35-year-old Bagnis had 20 winners, 25 unforced errors, 11 aces and two double faults.
In front of friends and family, including his parents, Milos and Mila, Pospisil put on a gutsy fight against Bagnis but struggled after pulling a muscle in the first set.
"I really wanted my parents to be at my last match. I didn't want to just kind of end it. Because it's been such a family journey. They sacrificed so much for me," said Pospisil. "My dad as well, he quit his job, he coached me for 15 years. He was, in some ways, more invested in this than I was. It was just as much his journey as it was mine."
Bagnis will next face 30th-ranked Nuno Borges of Portugal.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old wild-card entry Nicolas Arseneault of Richmond Hill, Ont., knocked off 24-year-old qualifier Valentin Royer of France 6-3, 7-6 (4) in one hour, 45 minutes on the grandstand court at Sobeys Stadium.
Royer had more winners (21-14) than Arseneault, but had more unforced errors (48-23).
The Canadian had five aces, four double faults, a first serve percentage of 68, and won five of 11 break points.
Royer had three aces, six double faults, a first serve percentage of 61 and only won four of nine break points.
Arseneault will next play 18th-seeded and NBO defending champion Alexei Popyrin of Sydney, Australia.
"It definitely hasn't sunk in yet. It's going to take maybe tomorrow morning before I realize what I've just done," said a happy Arseneault. "To play my first main draw in Toronto, and to win my first match, it's the best thing that's happened to me yet."
UPSETS AND CLOSE CALLS
In other action Sunday, the world's 48th-ranked Gael Monfils of France lost to qualifier Tomas Barrios Vera of Chile 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), while 80th-ranked Roman Safiullin of Russia lost his first set 6-4 to qualifier Ugo Blanchet of France, but bounced back with 6-2, 7-6 (9) wins. The 84th-ranked Adam Walton of Australia lost his first set 6-4 to Benjamin Bonzi of France but bounced back with 6-0, 6-3 victories.
UPCOMING
In opening-round games on Monday, Canadian Dan Martin plays Jaume Munar of Spain, Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ont., plays Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain, and Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., plays Arthur Rinderknech of France.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2025.
The Canadian Press
