The National Bank Open women’s tennis tournament started on a positive note despite a shaky beginning. Leylah Fernandez from Canada secured a spot in the Round of 16. Alex Eala, a rising star, continued to impress. Notably, top players like Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek remained in contention.
Tournament director Karl Hale expressed satisfaction with the event’s progress, foreseeing continuous growth in both the tournament and tennis popularity in Canada. The absence of Victoria Mboko, the 2025 champion, due to a knee injury was a setback. Tennis Canada granted wild-card entries to Bianca Andreescu and six other Canadians, but only two, Kayla Cross and Katherine Sebov, advanced past the second round.
The 30th-seeded Fernandez, a U.S. Open finalist in 2021, pulled off an upset win against Mirra Andreeva to reach the third round, where she will face Naomi Osaka. Meanwhile, Eala from the Philippines captured attention with her impressive run to the Round of 16, set to play against Belinda Bencic next.
In another match, Swiatek secured a quarterfinal spot with a hard-fought victory over Marta Kostyuk. The tournament witnessed some upsets, including Aryna Sabalenka’s defeat to Ekaterina Alexandrova. Rafael Jodar also impressed by defeating Jiri Lehecka in straight sets, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Despite challenges like rain disruptions and thinner media coverage, the tournament continues to showcase thrilling matches. The competition promises exciting matchups in the upcoming rounds as players strive for victory.
