Canadian hopes were shattered on Sunday at the National Bank Open, with Leylah Fernandez from Laval, Que., falling to Japan’s Naomi Osaka and Belinda Bencic from Switzerland defeating Alexandra Eala from the Philippines. Fernandez, seeded 30th, was broken in both sets, leading to Osaka’s victory with her sixth ace. Fernandez expressed regret over some small decisions that impacted the outcome of the match.
Despite Fernandez’s earlier upset against Mirra Andreeva, other Canadian players, including Bianca Andreescu, were eliminated in the early rounds. The doubles draw saw all five Canadian entries losing their opening matches. The crowd rallied behind Fernandez during the match, but Osaka’s strong serve and consistency proved too much to handle for the Canadian player.
Osaka’s win marked her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearance since last year, while Eala’s seven-match win streak ended following her recent WTA crown in Washington. In the men’s singles draw, Ben Shelton defeated Joao Fonseca to secure a spot in the quarterfinals, showcasing his skill and determination on the court. Shelton, the highest-ranked player remaining in the tournament, is poised for another shot at the National Bank Open title in Montreal.