The National Bank Open enters its round of 16 with the field split between Montreal and Toronto, and the next two days should separate the true contenders from the survivors. Several top names remain, but the draw has already shifted in ways that make both events more open than expected.
Saturday and Sunday will decide who reaches the quarterfinals, with Montreal handling the men and Toronto hosting the women. That means eight singles winners in each city will move one step closer to the title.
Montreal Has Turned Into an Open Race
The men’s event lost much of its early structure before the round of 16 even arrived. Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Andrey Rublev were all knocked out quickly, while second seed Félix Auger-Aliassime withdrew because of a back injury.
Those results changed the shape of the bracket almost immediately. The door is now open for players who entered the tournament with less attention but plenty of momentum.
Ben Shelton is still one of the clearest threats. The defending champion opened with a sharp straight-sets win over Jenson Brooksby, and his serve should keep playing well on Montreal’s fast hard courts.
Casper Ruud also looks capable of making a deep run. He handled Juan Manuel Cerúndolo with ease in his first match and has enough hard-court experience to benefit from the weakened draw.
Players Gaining Ground in the Men’s Draw
Montreal has also become a useful stage for younger players trying to announce themselves. João Fonseca produced one of the most impressive results by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas, showing the power and composure that have made him such a difficult opponent.
Arthur Fils added another strong result with a three-set win over Zachary Svajda. His athletic style and ability to cover the court quickly make him a natural fit for this surface.
Tallon Griekspoor may no longer be treated as an underdog after taking out Zverev. He recovered after dropping the first set and finished the job with a confident comeback win that should raise his belief for the rest of the week.
The home crowd, however, did not get the men’s run it hoped for. Gabriel Diallo earned a first main-draw victory in Montreal before retiring in the next round against Luciano Darderi, and Auger-Aliassime never got the chance to begin his singles campaign.
| City | Key Story | Top Names Still Standing |
|---|---|---|
| Montreal | Heavy early upsets and a widened draw | Shelton, Ruud, Fonseca, Fils, Griekspoor |
| Toronto | Favorites mostly held their positions | Sabalenka, Rybakina, Gauff, Pegula, Andreeva |
Toronto’s Top Women Are Still in Control
The women’s bracket has followed a more familiar script. Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, and Mirra Andreeva all moved through their opening matches and remain firmly in contention.
Sabalenka continues to set the pace. The world No. 1 beat Moyuka Uchijima in straight sets and extended her hard-court winning streak to 13 matches, which only strengthens her standing as the player to beat.
Rybakina had a tougher start, needing three sets to get past Daria Kasatkina. She produced plenty of winners, but the error count showed that her level still has room to sharpen.
Gauff and Pegula also survived difficult tests. Gauff controlled enough of the key points to beat qualifier Kayla Day, while Pegula recovered from a set down against Magdalena Frech and finished with a dominant run of games.
Andreeva may have delivered the cleanest result of all. She dismissed Karolina Pliskova in just 54 minutes, a reminder that her game already looks mature beyond her age.
Canada’s Attention Now Centers on Leylah Fernandez
With the other Canadians out, Leylah Fernandez is left carrying the local spotlight in Toronto. She handled Renata Zarazúa with confidence and gave the home crowd the result it was waiting for.
Her next match is more demanding. Elise Mertens brings experience, solid defense, and enough patience to make Fernandez work for every opening.
Fernandez will need to stay aggressive if she wants to keep moving forward. When she takes the ball early and controls the forehand exchanges, she can pressure even top players.
Her challenge is straightforward: keep the level high, avoid long passive stretches, and make the crowd matter.
For Canadian fans, that makes her the last major reason to stay invested in the tournament’s closing weekend.