TORONTO — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka headlines the 96-player list for the National Bank Open, a tournament that will have a new champion this year after the recent withdrawal of Canada's Victoria Mboko.
Tennis Canada said 72 of the WTA Tour's top 75 players were entered in the Aug. 2-13 competition at Sobeys Stadium.
“With the second year of our expanded 12-day format, fans will have more opportunities than ever to enjoy elite tennis and experience everything the tournament has to offer in Toronto this August," tournament director Karl Hale said Wednesday in a statement.
Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion from Belarus, will be joined in the field by second-ranked Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and third-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland. The tournament is one of 10 WTA 1000 events on the tour calendar.
Other notable entries included fourth-ranked Jessica Pegula, who won back-to-back NBO titles in 2023 and 2024, and fellow Americans Amanda Anisimova (No. 6) and Coco Gauff (No. 7).
World No. 24 Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., and 180th-ranked wild-card entry Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., also have main-draw spots.
Mboko, from Burlington, Ont., confirmed Tuesday that she would not be able to defend her title. She suffered a left knee injury last month at the HSBC Championships.
Mboko defeated Japanese star Naomi Osaka in last year's final at Montreal. She beat four former Grand Slam champions en route to her first WTA Tour crown.
Before the injury, Tennis Canada had promoted Mboko's return by announcing her title defence would begin with a showcase evening match on Aug. 5.
It wasn't immediately clear who would replace her in that session. The draw for the US$7.43-million tournament was set for July 31.
There are four former NBO champions in the field.
In addition to Pegula, eighth-ranked Elina Svitolina (2017 champion) of Ukraine is back along with 11th-ranked Swiss Belinda Bencic, who won in 2015. Andreescu was victorious in 2019.
"Playing on home soil is a true privilege, and the atmosphere created by Canadian fans is truly unmatched," Andreescu said. "Their support means the world to me, and I can’t wait to feel that energy again this summer.”
American Venus Williams was previously confirmed as a wild-card entry. Six other wild-card entries will be announced later this month.
The top 32 seeds will receive first-round byes. A one-day qualifying round is set for Aug. 1.
The entry list for the ATP Tour's National Bank Open in Montreal will be released on Thursday. The men's and women's tournaments run concurrently and alternate between the two host cities each year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2026.
Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
