AFP | Montreal

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Ben Shelton doesn't want to miss his chances on court as he begins the defense of his ATP Montreal Masters title with the goal of arriving in full flow at the US Open.

With the last major of the season starting on August 31 in New York, the American has programmed a full run-up schedule: Washington last week, Montreal and Cincinnati still to come.

"Three tournaments is the perfect amount. I'd like to get as many matches as possible," the fifth seed said on a rainy Monday that saw the start of play delayed several hours with more afternoon rain interruptions.

"I'm the type of player, the more matches I play, the better I play, as long as my body can hold up," Shelton added. "It's a great three-tournament run before having a week off leading up to the US Open. I'm just kind of going for it."

The weather is playing a major role in the controversial 12-day extended Masters, a tournament where world number one Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic are high-profile absentees.

Among first-round matches completed, Italy's former top 10 contender Matteo Berrettini, coming back from an abdominal injury, played his first match since Wimbledon and lost 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 to Argentine Mariano Navone.

Colombian Nicolas Mejia defeated rising Spanish talent Martin Landaluce 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, Canada lost its first player with number 174 Alexis Galarneau going out to Czech Vit Kpriva 6-4, 6-4.

James Duckworth beat Chris O'Connell 6-3, 6-1 in an all-Aussie clash.

Roland Garros title holder and Wimbledon finalist Alexander Zverev is the top seed ahead of Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Shelton, the ATP number 10 who reached last week's Washington quarters, is not bothered by the bloated length of the event which continues to attract criticism throughout the sport and could be ripe for future change.