Britain's Cameron Norrie saw his run at the National Bank Open come to an abrupt end in the round of 16, bowing out after a 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) loss to France's rising star Arthur Fils in Montreal. The 18th‑seeded Frenchman imposed his game from the outset, using a big, accurate serve to dominate the opening set and close it out with relative ease. Norrie, who had been fighting hard throughout the match, managed to raise his level in the second set, matching Fils' power and pushing the contest into a tiebreak.
Despite carving out two chances to clinch the set, he was unable to convert, and Fils ultimately sealed the victory after a hard‑fought 1 hour and 43 minutes on court. Norrie's journey to this stage had been impressive. In the previous round he produced a memorable upset over third seed Alex de Minaur, overturning a match‑point deficit and rattling off eleven wins in the next thirteen games to win 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.
That triumph not only propelled him into the last 16 but also reinstated him as Britain's No.1 player, overtaking Arthur Fery. Unfortunately, he could not sustain that momentum against the in‑form Fils, who will now meet Spain's Rafael Jodar in the quarter‑finals after Jodar had also produced an upset by beating eighth seed Jiri Lehecka in straight sets. Other notable results from the day included Brandon Nakashima and Luciano Darderi advancing after grueling three‑set battles.
Nakashima survived a tight contest against Arthur Rinderknech, while Darderi edged out Nuno Borges, both matches showcasing the depth of talent on the ATP Tour. In the women's draw, world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka suffered a surprising setback in her preparation for the US Open. The Belarusian, a four‑time Grand Slam champion and reigning US Open titleholder, was knocked out in the fourth round of the Canadian Open in Toronto by Russia's 16th‑seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova, who won 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-4. Alexandrova fought a marathon match lasting nearly two and a half hours, securing her place in the quarter‑finals with a display of aggressive shot‑making and mental toughness.
Sabalenka started the match strongly, breaking early in the first set, but Alexandrova rallied to force a tiebreak, which she claimed to take the lead. The top seed responded by taking control of the second set, breaking for a 4-3 advantage and then serving out to level the match. The decisive third set saw Alexandrova maintain her composure as Sabalenka's error count rose.
Facing two match points at 4-5, Sabalenka saved one but ultimately succumbed to a double fault on the third point, handing the victory to Alexandrova. After the match, Alexandrova explained her approach: "I tried to treat every point like it was the last one because against her you don't get many chances," she said in the post‑match interview.
"I tried not to think about the score, just to hit the ball. I'm really happy to have won because after the second set I thought my chance was gone." Alexandrova's next opponent will be Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, who advanced after a straight‑sets win over American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova, 6-2, 6-4. Their quarter‑final clash promises to be a compelling battle between two seasoned players.
Overall, the day highlighted the unpredictable nature of the Canadian Open, with several upsets and tightly contested matches across both the ATP and WTA tours. Fans can continue to follow the action live on Sky Sports, the NOW streaming platform, or via the Sky Sports app, which provides comprehensive coverage, highlights, and on‑demand video content. The tournament will progress into the weekend with the quarter‑finals set to deliver more drama as players vie for a coveted spot in the semifinals and a chance to build confidence ahead of the upcoming US Open.