After a slow start at the National Bank Open women’s tennis tournament, there were positive developments. Leylah Fernandez from Canada progressed to the Round of 16. The excitement around breakout star Alex Eala, known as “Eala-Mania,” intensified with her latest victory. Notable players like Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek were still competing.
Tournament director Karl Hale expressed satisfaction with the current state of affairs and anticipated continued growth for the event and the sport of tennis in Canada. The event faced a setback when 2025 champion Victoria Mboko withdrew due to a knee injury. In response, Tennis Canada granted wild-card entries to Bianca Andreescu and six other Canadians, but only two, Kayla Cross and Katherine Sebov, advanced to the second round and were eliminated.
Fernandez, seeded 30th and a finalist at the 2021 U.S. Open, secured a spot in the third round by upsetting Mirra Andreeva. Meanwhile, Alex Eala continued to captivate the audience with her performances, advancing to the Round of 16 where she will face Belinda Bencic.
In other matches, Iga Swiatek, the No. 7 seed from Poland, secured a quarterfinal berth by defeating Marta Kostyuk. Upsets included Aryna Sabalenka losing to Ekaterina Alexandrova and Elina Svitolina defeating Amanda Anisimova.
Inclement weather affected the tournament, causing delays and court damages. The media presence at the event was lower than usual, with fewer outlets covering the matches. Sportsnet’s broadcast coverage began late, but TVA Sports provided comprehensive coverage.
In the men’s singles competition in Montreal, Rafael Jodar from Spain defeated Jiri Lehecka to reach the quarterfinals. Jodar’s impressive performance garnered support from fans chanting “Let’s go Rafa!” He will face Arthur Fils in the next round. Luciano Darderi also advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Nuno Borges.
Brandon Nakashima and Ben Shelton also progressed to the quarterfinals after winning their matches. The Canadian doubles team of Duncan Chan and Alexis Galarneau continued their run in the doubles draw by defeating a seeded pair.
The competition will continue until Thursday, offering more thrilling matches and exciting moments for tennis enthusiasts.
