Canadian tennis hopes were shattered on Sunday at the National Bank Open as hometown favorite Leylah Fernandez suffered a defeat against Naomi Osaka. Fernandez, seeded 30th, lost to Osaka in a 6-4, 6-4 match at Sobeys Stadium. Meanwhile, Belinda Bencic of Switzerland ended the impressive run of breakout star Alexandra Eala from the Philippines with a 6-4, 6-0 victory.
Fernandez was broken in crucial moments in both sets, leading to her downfall. Osaka, the 11th seed, showcased her strong serve and consistency to secure the win in one hour and 22 minutes. Despite Fernandez’s efforts, she admitted that small errors and decisions played a significant role in the outcome of the match.
Earlier in the tournament, Fernandez had scored an upset win against fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva to advance to the Round of 16. However, the other Canadian players, including former champion Bianca Andreescu, were eliminated in the early rounds.
The doubles draw also saw Canadian players facing early exits, with world No. 3 Gabriela Dabrowski teaming up with a substitute partner due to her regular partner’s injury. The near-capacity crowd at the venue tried to rally behind Fernandez with chants of “Let’s Go, Leylah!” but Osaka’s strong performance proved too difficult to overcome.
Osaka’s victory marks her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearance since the previous year’s final at the NBO. Reflecting on the match, Osaka emphasized the importance of staying calm and focusing on each point.
In another match, Eala’s winning streak came to an end as Belinda Bencic defeated her in straight sets. The 21-year-old Eala, who had recently clinched her first WTA title in Washington, impressed fans throughout the tournament with her performances.
The competition also saw Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff advancing to the quarterfinals with hard-fought wins. Rybakina, the second seed, overcame Liudmila Samsonova in a three-set battle, while Gauff, the fourth seed, dominated her match against Alina Korneeva.
Doubles winners included pairs from Italy, Slovakia, the United States, Taiwan, and Latvia. The tournament, with a prize money of US$7.43 million, will continue until Thursday.