Britain’s Cameron Norrie saw his run at the National Bank Open come to an abrupt end in the round of 16, succumbing to France’s rising star Arthur Fils with a scoreline of 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) in Montreal. The match, which lasted just under two hours, highlighted the contrasting styles of the two competitors and underscored the depth of talent on the ATP Tour. From the first serve, the 18th‑seeded Frenchman imposed his game plan with a big, aggressive serve that allowed him to dominate the opening set. Norrie, who had been playing a more defensive, counter‑punching brand of tennis throughout the tournament, struggled to find answers to the pace and placement of Fils’ service games.
The British player managed to hold his own on a few occasions, but the Frenchman’s consistency and firepower proved too much, and the first set slipped away 6-2. Determined not to let the early setback dictate the rest of the encounter, Norrie raised his intensity in the second set. He began to match Fils shot for shot, driving deeper into the court and forcing the Frenchman into longer rallies.
The adjustment paid dividends as the set progressed to a tightly contested tie‑break. Norrie even carved out two set‑point chances, showcasing his resilience and experience. However, the pressure of the moment proved decisive; Fils saved both opportunities and eventually clinched the tie‑break 10-8, sealing the match after 1 hour and 43 minutes of play. Norrie’s journey to this stage had been impressive.
In the previous round, he produced a stunning upset over the third seed, Alex de Minaur. After trailing 5-7, 6-5, Norrie rallied spectacularly, winning eleven of the next thirteen games to take the match 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.
That victory not only propelled him into the last‑16 but also reclaimed the British No. 1 ranking from Arthur Fery.
Unfortunately, the momentum from that triumph was not enough to overcome the youthful vigor of Fils. Looking ahead, Fils will meet Spain’s Rafael Jodar in the quarter‑finals after Jodar’s own upset over the eighth seed, Jiri Lehecka, in straight sets.
The tournament continues to produce surprising results, with players like Brandon Nakashima and Luciano Darderi also advancing after grueling three‑set wins over Arthur Rinderknech and Nuno Borges respectively. In the women’s draw, world No.
1 Aryna Sabalenka experienced a rare setback in her US Open preparation. The Belarusian, a four‑time Grand Slam champion and reigning US Open titleholder, was beaten 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-4 by Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round of the Canadian Open held in Toronto. The match stretched to nearly two and a half hours, with Alexandrova displaying relentless aggression and mental fortitude to secure a place in the quarter‑finals.
Sabalenka started the encounter strongly, breaking early in the first set. However, Alexandrova responded with a series of powerful groundstrokes, forcing a tie‑break that she won convincingly, taking the set 7-6. The Belarusian fought back in the second set, breaking at 3-3 and eventually serving out the set to level the match at one set all. The deciding set was a battle of nerves.
Sabalenka’s unforced error count rose as the pressure mounted, while Alexandrova maintained her aggressive approach. At 4-5, Sabalenka saved two match points, but a double fault on the third point handed the victory to Alexandrova. In post‑match comments, Alexandrova explained her mindset: “I tried to treat every point like it was the last one because against her you don’t get many chances. I didn’t think about the score, just hit the ball.” She added that she was relieved to win, noting that after the second set she believed her chances were slipping away.
Alexandrova’s triumph sets up a semi‑final clash with Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, who dispatched American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-4 to claim her own spot in the last four. The Canadian Open continues to deliver drama on both the ATP and WTA sides, with several lower‑ranked players challenging the established order.
Fans can follow the remaining matches via Sky Sports, the Sky Sports app, or streaming platforms such as NOW. The tournament’s schedule will culminate with the ATP and WTA finals, leading into the US Open, where the world’s top players will vie for one of tennis’s most coveted titles.