Galarneau’s day twice as nice thanks to pair of Challenger Tour victories

Alex Galarneau’s day couldn’t have gone much better.

The young Canadian from Laval, Que., won both of his matches Tuesday at the $75,000 Calgary National Bank Challenger.

Ranked 707th among men’s singles in the ATP rankings, Galarneau was solid in a 6-2, 6-4 morning victory over Spain’s Pablo Vivero Gonzalez on Day 2 of the tournament’s main event at Calgary ’s Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre.

Galarneau then teamed with fellow Canuck Steven Diez to score a 6-1, 3-6, 10-8 doubles win over Turkey’s Cem Ilkel and Spain’s Roberto Ortega- Olmedo in an afternoon match.

Toronto’s Brayden Schnur also won his singles match against Spain’s Tommy Robredo, once upon a time the fifth-ranked player on the planet. The Canadian was victorious in 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 fashion.

“Brayden’s a really talented guy,” said tournament director Danny Da Costa, who doubles as general manager of the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre.

Schnur went in as the 237thranked player in the world, while Robredo is ranked 671st.

Galarneau goes on to meet Australia’s Jordan Thompson in a round of 16 match Wednesday evening in the ATP Challenger Tour stop.

That match will be followed by Vancouver’s Filip Peliwo versus American Collin Altamirano.

“As long as I play my game and I make my myself happy with the way I’m playing, that’s what’s most important to me,” Peliwo said. “In the beginning of the year, it was a little rough. But in the summer, it started picking up. I had a few good matches; it’s been good.”

Toronto’s Diez, meanwhile, has found new life in the doubles side of the Calgary National Bank Challenger after being eliminated from singles play in the first round of the main event Monday evening. The 27-year-old, ranked No. 382, lost to American Jason Jung 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.

Calgary’s Harrison Scott was dropped in his first ATP Challenger Tour appearance. The University of Texas star lost 6-0, 6-1 to qualifier Borna Gojo of the Netherlands.

Also in doubles action, Canadian Pavel Krainik and France’s Laurent Rochette lost 7-5, 6-4 to the American pair of Robert Galloway and Nathan Pasha.

Day 3 of the main event begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday on the National Bank Court. The playoffs start Friday with the finals set for Sunday at the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre.