Canada’s Diallo advances to U.S. Open main draw with win over France’s Royer

Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo has qualified for his second career Grand Slam main draw after posting a 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over France’s Valentin Royer in U.S. Open qualifying Thursday.

Diallo struggled to make the most of his opportunities, converting just two of his 11 break point chances. But both those breaks came with him trailing 4-3 in the second set.

Royer converted the only break point chance he had to go up in the second set but couldn’t hold on.

Diallo qualified for his first Grand Slam main draw earlier this year at the French Open, where he lost his first-round match in five sets to Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori.

Diallo joins Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., in the men’s main draw.

Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., the 2019 champion, and Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., the 2021 runner-up, are in the women’s draw.