Canadian aspirations were shattered on Sunday at the National Bank Open, bringing an end to the Eala-Mania excitement that had prevailed throughout the week. Leylah Fernandez from Laval, Que., suffered a 6-4, 6-4 defeat against Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the fourth round at Sobeys Stadium. Following this, Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic secured a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Alexandra Eala to halt the impressive performance of the rising star from the Philippines.
Fernandez, seeded 30th, faced crucial breaks at 3-3 in both sets, ultimately leading to Osaka, ranked 11th, sealing the match with her sixth ace after a one hour and 22-minute battle. Fernandez reflected, expressing that it was the accumulation of minor decisions that impacted the outcome of the match.
Having upset the fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva of Russia earlier, Fernandez’s journey to the Round of 16 came to an end. Despite several Canadian players, including former champion Bianca Andreescu from Mississauga, Ont., being granted wild-card entries, they were all ousted in the initial rounds. The five Canadian pairs participating in doubles also faced defeat in their opening matches, with Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski teaming up with a substitute partner due to her regular partner’s injury.
The enthusiastic crowd at the center court tried to uplift Fernandez, chanting “Let’s Go, Leylah!” intermittently during breaks on a pleasant evening at the York University venue. The match saw both players relying on ground strokes to wear down their opponent. Osaka’s strong serve and consistent play proved to be challenging for Fernandez, who made some unforced errors at crucial moments in the game.
Osaka’s triumph marked her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearance since her final match at the NBO last year in Montreal, where she lost to Canada’s Victoria Mboko, who couldn’t defend her title this year due to injury. Reflecting on her victory, Osaka mentioned learning to remain calm and focus on each point.
On the other hand, Eala, fresh from her maiden WTA title in Washington, saw her seven-match winning streak snapped. The 21-year-old impressed the audience throughout the tournament but fell short in the end.
In a separate match, Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan and Coco Gauff from the United States secured victories to advance to the quarterfinals at the WTA 1000 competition. Rybakina, the second seed, outlasted Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova in a hard-fought match, showcasing her resilience and determination.
Meanwhile, Ben Shelton exhibited a dominant performance against the emerging talent Joao Fonseca from Brazil in the men’s singles draw. The fifth-seeded American fought back from early setbacks in both sets to clinch a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory in the Round of 16 at IGA Stadium. Shelton’s powerful serves and strong returns propelled him to secure a spot in the quarterfinals, where he will face Jakub Mensik of Czechia.
Shelton, the defending National Bank Open champion, displayed his confidence and determination to succeed in the tournament, emphasizing the importance of resilience in competitive matches. His impressive performance in challenging conditions highlighted his potential to retain the title and continue his success in the event.
