The National Bank Open women’s tennis tournament saw a positive turn of events following a rocky start. Leylah Fernandez from Canada secured a spot in the Round of 16, while breakout sensation Alex Eala continued to impress. Headlining players like Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek remained in contention, boosting the tournament’s excitement.
Tournament director Karl Hale expressed satisfaction with the event’s progress, anticipating further growth in both the tournament and the sport of tennis in Canada. The tournament faced challenges when 2025 champion Victoria Mboko withdrew due to a knee injury, prompting Tennis Canada to grant wild-card entries to Bianca Andreescu and six other Canadians.
Despite the limited success of Canadian players, with only Kayla Cross and Katherine Sebov advancing to the second round, the presence of the top 10 singles players in the world added to the event’s success. Fernandez, seeded 30th, advanced to the third round after defeating Mirra Andreeva and is set to face Naomi Osaka next.
Eala, the charismatic Filipino player, captured fans’ attention as she progressed to the Round of 16 and will face Belinda Bencic in the next match. Meanwhile, Swiatek secured a quarterfinal spot with a hard-fought victory over Marta Kostyuk. The tournament also witnessed upsets, including top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka’s loss to Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Media coverage at the event was noted to be thinner compared to previous years, with changes in broadcasting arrangements. Despite challenges, the competition continues, with Rafael Jodar’s impressive win over Jiri Lehecka in the men’s singles category drawing attention. Jodar’s success and rise in the rankings reflect his focus on personal development and improvement.
The tournament in Montreal also saw Luciano Darderi and Brandon Nakashima advancing to the quarterfinals. Despite the absence of Canadian players in the men’s singles, the Canadian duo of Duncan Chan and Alexis Galarneau progressed in the doubles draw, defeating the eighth-seeded pair. The event promises more thrilling matches as it progresses towards the final stages.