Radu Albot (ATP #39) was one step away from producing another surprise at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Montreal, where the Moldovan tennis player performed for the first time. 

After prevailing easily past the 34-ranked Frenchmen Gilles Simon, 6-4, 6-2, Radu Albot battled neck-and-neck Guido Pella (#24). The Argentinian eventually won after the third set went into tie-break 3-6, 6-2, 6-7.

In the third round of the tournament, Pella will face the Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the man tipped to win the 2019 Rogers Cup.