Britain's Cameron Norrie saw his campaign at the National Bank Open come to an abrupt halt in the round of 16 after falling 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) to France's rising star Arthur Fils in Montreal. The 18th‑seeded Frenchman started the match with a clear advantage, using his big serve to dictate play and cruising through the opening set without much resistance. Norrie, however, found a second‑wind in the following set, matching Fils shot for shot and pushing the contest into a tightly contested tiebreak.
Although he manufactured two set‑point chances, Norrie could not convert at the crucial moment, and Fils ultimately clinched the victory after a 1 hour 43 minute battle. Norrie's path to the last‑16 had been impressive.
In the previous round he produced a dramatic comeback against third‑seed Alex de Minaur, overturning a match‑point deficit by winning 11 of the next 13 games and securing a 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 triumph. That win not only propelled him into the deeper stages of the tournament but also reinstated him as Britain's No.1 player, overtaking Arthur Fery.
Despite the momentum, he was unable to sustain the level needed to overcome the in‑form French teenager. Fils, buoyed by his win over Norrie, will meet Spain's Rafael Jodar in the quarter‑finals after a straight‑sets upset of eighth‑seed Jiri Lehecka.
The tournament also saw other notable performances: American youngster Brandon Nakashima and Italy's Luciano Darderi both survived grueling three‑set encounters to advance, defeating Arthur Rinderknech and Nuno Borges respectively. 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 edged out 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-4 by Russia's 16th‑seed 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 securing a place in the quarter‑finals. Sabalenka started strongly, breaking early in the first set, but Alexandrova rallied to force a tiebreak, which she claimed to take the lead.
The top seed recovered in the second set, breaking for a 4-3 advantage and eventually serving out the set to level the match. The decider proved decisive; Sabalenka's unforced error count climbed as Alexandrova maintained aggressive shot‑making. At 4-5, Sabalenka saved two match points, yet a double fault on the third point handed the win to Alexandrova. After the match, Alexandrova explained her approach, saying she tried to treat every point as if it were the last, acknowledging the limited chances she had against a player of Sabalenka's calibre.
She emphasized staying present, focusing solely on hitting the ball without overthinking the scoreline. Her resilience paid off, especially after she believed her chances dwindled following the second set loss. Alexandrova's next opponent will be Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, who earned her semi‑final berth by defeating the eighth‑seeded American Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-4. The upcoming matches promise further excitement as the ATP and WTA tours continue toward the US Open, with live coverage available on Sky Sports and streaming options via NOW and the Sky Sports app.
Overall, the National Bank Open delivered its share of upsets and dramatic turnarounds. Norrie's exit underscores the depth of talent on the men's side, while Sabalenka's loss highlights the unpredictability of the women's field as players fine‑tune their games ahead of the season's final Grand Slam.
Fans can look forward to intense quarter‑final clashes, with the tournament's narrative still unfolding as the top seeds vie for the coveted titles.