Alex Eala bowed out of the National Bank Open on Sunday, but the 21-year-old from the Philippines was all smiles in reflecting on her first trip to Toronto. "The atmosphere this whole week has been just incredible," she said. "It's hard to describe to other people the feeling of being in that stadium, full of the fans and all the love ... I'll carry these memories with me for a really long time."
When Naomi Osaka lost the championship match at the National Bank Open last year, she let the fans in Montreal get to her. She did a better job handling the atmosphere Sunday night in Toronto, but Leylah Annie Fernandez left this match feeling like she could have done a better job putting the four-time major champion under pressure. TSN's Mark Masters has more.
Defending champion Ben Shelton halted the red-hot run of Joao Fonseca at the National Bank Open, defeating the 19-year-old 6-3, 7-6(3) to advance to the quarter-finals in Montreal.
Coco Gauff made easy work of Alina Korneeva to collect a 6-3, 6-1 victory to cruise into the quarter-finals in Toronto.
World No. 2 Elena Rybakina survived a test from Liudmila Samsonova to earn a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and book her spot in the quarter-finals in Toronto.
One year after struggling to deal with the atmosphere in Montreal during a championship match loss to Canada's Vicky Mboko, Naomi Osaka was proud of how she processed things during Sunday's win over Leylah Annie Fernandez in Toronto. "A couple of times in the match I tried to yawn to calm myself down, because I heard that kind of, like, relaxes your muscles," the 28-year-old said.
Leylah Annie Fernandez likes how new coach Eric Hechtman is fitting in with her team. "My favourite part is that there's no nonsense," the 23-year-old said. "He's very honest, and it's the same with my dad ... He's not going to bulls--t me." Fernandez is 3-2 through two tournaments with Hechtman.
Leylah Annie Fernandez built trust in her game in Toronto, but started overthinking again in Sunday's showdown with Naomi Osaka. "The first two matches I trusted myself completely," Fernandez told TSN. "Today, unfortunately, as the match got tighter, I made a couple mistakes and kind of pulled up on my shots."
Leylah Fernandez was eliminated from the National Bank Open with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka in the Round of 16 in Toronto. The 30th-seeded Fernandez was the last Canadian remaining in either the men's or women's singles draws.
Initially surprised to receive a wildcard, Duncan Chan became the only Canadian to make it through qualifying at the National Bank Open. And the 21-year-old from Markham, Ont. has certainly made the most of the experience in Montreal, including warming up Ben Shelton, sitting in Joao Fonseca's box and beating Alexander Zverev in doubles.
Top-seed Aryna Sabalenka had her hands full in the Round of 16 in Toronto and ultimately fell to Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6, 4-6, 6-4.
Iga Swiatek dropped the opening set but rebounded with a dominating performance to close out Marta Kostyuk 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 and secure her spot in the quarter-finals at the National Bank Open in Toronto.
Leylah Annie Fernandez has won consecutive matches for the first time since May and her father and coach Jorge thinks the atmosphere in Toronto is a big reason why. "The fans have shown an immense amount of love and recognition of her work," he said. "I think that has elevated, once again, her belief that this can happen for her and she can turn it around."
Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez rolled to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva at the National Bank Open on Friday for her first win over a top-10 opponent this season.
Naomi Osaka and Leylah Annie Fernandez will faceoff in the round-of-16 in Toronto after playing a practice set in Washington during the previous event. "Truthfully, I played really bad," Osaka recalled with a laugh. "I hope maybe she thinks that I'll play that bad, and she will be caught off guard."
Kayla Cross had a lot of fun playing doubles with Bianca Andreescu in Toronto. "It means so much," the 21-year-old from London, Ont. said. "Her attitude towards everything is so great." Cross, who won her first WTA match on Monday, is leaning on the 2019 US Open champion for advice as she aims to get established on tour.
After rewatching her first-round loss in Toronto, Bianca Andreescu is focusing on "finishing shots" in preparation for the qualifying event at the US Open. "Of course, I would love to be in the main draw, but I know where I’m at right now," the 26-year-old said. "I just have to keep building my way up."
Bianca Andreescu, who lifted the trophy in Toronto in 2019, believes Leylah Annie Fernandez is capable of following in her footsteps this year. "She’s fearless," Andreescu said. "Like, when she’s on, she’s on. She can beat anybody. Her game is so beautiful as well, very aggressive."
New coach Eric Hechtman was impressed with the toughness Leylah Annie Fernandez displayed during an upset win over Mirra Andreeva. "I told her the main thing was to work every single point and mix it up with coming to the net and she did," he said. "She’s a helluva athlete and she showed it today."
American tennis star and reigning National Bank Open winner Ben Shelton continued his title defence with a dominant straight set win over Zizou Bergs on Friday to advance to the Round of 16 in Montreal.
Leylah Annie Fernandez upset No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva on Friday to record her first top-10 win in more than a year. The 23-year-old Canadian told TSN "it's been a while" since she felt that good in a match. Fernandez believes working hard on her mental game is now paying off in Toronto.
ADVERTISEMENT
