Canadian fans faced disappointment on Sunday at the National Bank Open as their hopes were dashed. Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., suffered a 6-4, 6-4 defeat against Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the fourth round at Sobeys Stadium. Following that, Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic secured a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Alexandra Eala from the Philippines, ending the breakout star’s impressive run.
Fernandez, seeded 30th, was broken at crucial moments in both sets, allowing Osaka, the 11th seed, to clinch the match with her sixth ace in one hour and 22 minutes. Despite her strong performance, Fernandez acknowledged that minor decisions played a significant role in the outcome.
The Canadian tennis player caused an upset by defeating the fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva of Russia to advance to the Round of 16. However, other Canadian players, including Bianca Andreescu, were eliminated in the early rounds. The doubles draw saw all five Canadian entries exit in the opening matches, with Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski partnering with a substitute due to her regular partner’s injury.
The near-capacity crowd at the centre court supported Fernandez with chants of “Let’s Go, Leylah!” during breaks, but Osaka’s strong serve and consistent play proved too much to handle. Fernandez admitted making some errors that cost her crucial points during the match.
Osaka’s victory secured her spot in the WTA 1000 quarterfinals, marking her first appearance in this stage since the previous year in Montreal. Meanwhile, Eala, fresh off her first WTA title in Washington, saw her seven-match winning streak end at the National Bank Open.
In the men’s singles draw, Ben Shelton continued his quest to defend his National Bank Open title by defeating Joao Fonseca of Brazil 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the Round of 16. Despite facing early setbacks in both sets, Shelton’s resilient performance and powerful serves propelled him to victory over the up-and-coming Fonseca.
Shelton, the highest-ranked player remaining in the tournament, will face Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals. Mensik, who defeated Botic van de Zandschulp, looks forward to a challenging match against Shelton, aiming to capitalize on his serve to secure a win.
In a day marked by intense competition, other players like Learner Tien and Daniel Merida Aguilar advanced to the quarterfinals with impressive victories. The tournament saw several young talents making their mark, with a promising future ahead for the sport.
As injuries and early exits shook up the competition, Shelton stands out as a potential future star poised to make the most of the opportunities presented in the National Bank Open.