China's Shang, Zhang bow out in third round at Canada's National Bank Open

TORONTO, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's Shang Juncheng and Zhang Shuai were both eliminated in the third round of tennis's Canadian National Bank Open on Thursday.

Shang, ranked No. 281 in the world after a lengthy injury layoff, fell 6-4, 1-6, 4-6 to 19th-seeded Luciano Darderi of Italy in the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Montreal.

The 21-year-old broke serve early to claim the opening set, but Darderi raised his level in the second, using heavier groundstrokes and a faster tempo to level the match.

Shang took a medical timeout in the deciding set to receive treatment on his arm before eventually losing the match.

"I don't have too many regrets," Shang said afterward. "My opponent played very well today. His serve and return were both very solid. The first set may have looked one-sided, but I only got one break, so it wasn't easy."

Reflecting on the second set, Shang said he struggled to adjust as Darderi increased the pace. "I couldn't quite keep up with the rhythm. He sped things up, his shots got heavier, and he simply played better than I did."

Shang, who returned to competition last week after being sidelined for nearly five months with a foot injury, said his body is still adapting to match play.

"My arm felt a little uncomfortable after the matches and practice over the past few days," he said. "But I don't think it's anything too serious. I'll have it checked by my physiotherapist and doctor. The most important thing is to stay healthy and keep getting my body into better shape."

Shang is scheduled to compete at next week's Cincinnati Masters after entering the main draw with a protected ranking.

In Toronto, veteran Zhang Shuai was beaten 6-3, 6-4 by world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament.

Despite the straight-sets defeat, Zhang kept the top seed under pressure throughout, and even earned a break point in the final game.

"That was definitely tricky. She played great," Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. "It was tough when you want to finish the match and go rest... I'm happy that I managed to stay focused and close this match in straight sets." Enditem