Canadian hopes were disappointed on Sunday at the National Bank Open, as Leylah Fernandez from Laval, Quebec, fell to Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the fourth round. Fernandez, seeded 30th, lost 6-4, 6-4 to the 11th-seeded Osaka at Sobeys Stadium. Following this, Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic defeated Alexandra Eala from the Philippines with a 6-4, 6-0 victory.
Fernandez was broken in both sets at 3-3, leading to Osaka’s win in one hour and 22 minutes, sealed with her sixth ace. Fernandez expressed regret over some small decisions that impacted the outcome. Fernandez had previously upset the fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva to reach the Round of 16.
Despite the support from the near-capacity crowd at the venue, Fernandez struggled to overcome Osaka’s strong serve and consistency. Fernandez acknowledged making mistakes and missed opportunities during the match. Osaka’s win marked her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearance since last year.
In another match, Ben Shelton defeated Brazilian Joao Fonseca 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the Round of 16. Shelton, the fifth seed, showcased a strong performance, overcoming early setbacks to advance to the quarterfinals. He is set to face Jakub Mensik in the next round.
The tournament saw several upsets and notable performances, with players like Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Learner Tien advancing to the next stages. The competition also witnessed a significant presence of young talents making their mark in the late rounds.
The National Bank Open experienced some setbacks with the withdrawals of top-ranked players like Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic. However, emerging talents like Shelton are now poised to capitalize on the opportunities presented in the competition.