2026 National Bank Open Day 4 Recap: Top Seeds Cruise, While Shang Stuns Rublev
Sunshine and blue skies finally returned to Montreal and Toronto on Tuesday, August 4, for Day 4 of the 2026 National Bank Open presented by Rogers. With the dark clouds cleared, tennis fans were treated to a stellar day of action as top-seeded superstars officially made their tournament debuts across both host cities.
The day delivered a mix of commanding victories from World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, a sensational comeback upset by China’s Shang Juncheng over Andrey Rublev, and heartfelt off-court tributes celebrating Canadian culture and partnership milestones.
Here is your complete recap of Day 4 at IGA Stadium and Sobeys Stadium.
Part 1: Men’s Action in Montreal – Seeds Advance, Popyrin Battles Back & Shang Pulls Off Shock Upset
In Montreal, opening-round play officially concluded while early second-round matchups got underway under sunny skies.
Shang Juncheng Saves 5 Match Points to Shock Rublev
The match of the day in Montreal came on Court 5, where China’s Shang Juncheng scored a massive upset over 10th seed Andrey Rublev, a former National Bank Open finalist.
Rublev appeared to have the match firmly in hand, serving for the match and holding five match points at 5-4 in the deciding third set. However, an unyielding Shang saved every single match point—including one on a narrowly missed inside-out forehand from Rublev—to force a deciding tiebreaker. Shang kept his composure to prevail 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5).
Shang Juncheng (CHN) def. [10] Andrey Rublev
Score: 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5) | Saved 5 Match Points in 3rd Set
Top Seeds De Minaur, Lehecka & Tiafoe Advance
While Rublev fell, other top seeds held strong to open their Montreal campaigns:
- [3] Alex de Minaur (Australia): The No. 3 seed kicked off his run with a clinical 6-2, 7-6(6) victory over fellow Australian James Duckworth to advance to the third round.
- [8] Jiri Lehecka (Czech Republic): The 8th seed made quick work of countryman Vit Kopriva, securing a 6-4, 6-2 win.
- [15] Frances Tiafoe (USA): Headlining the night session on Centre Court, Tiafoe dropped the opening set against former Grand Slam champion Marin Cilic before storming back to win 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
2024 Champion Alexei Popyrin Launches Comeback Win
Returning to the courts where he captured his career-defining Masters 1000 crown two years ago, Australian Alexei Popyrin showed his trademark Montreal magic. Facing Argentina’s Roman Andres Burruchaga in the first round, Popyrin rallied from a set and a break down ( trailing 4-6, 2-4) to notch a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory.
Other Notable Montreal Men’s Results
- Yannick Hanfmann (GER) upset [6] Flavio Cobolli (ITA) 7-6(5), 7-6(2).
- [Q] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) swept past [Q] Martin Damm (USA) 6-4, 6-4.
- Denis Shapovalov (CAN) was forced to retire due to injury trailing Zachary Svajda (USA) 4-6, 6-4, 3-0.
- [WC] Gabriel Diallo (CAN) retired mid-match against [19] Luciano Darderi (ITA) trailing 6-4, 2-3.
- Thiago Agustin Tirante (ARG) edged Canadian wild card Duncan Chan 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(3).
Part 2: Women’s Action in Toronto – Sabalenka & Swiatek Dominate in Openers
Sobeys Stadium in Toronto welcomed the world’s top women’s players into second-round action on Tuesday, with World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek leading the charge.
Iga Swiatek Opens with Bakery Express
Former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek (seeded No. 7) opened the Centre Court matinee session in ruthless fashion against Czech opponent Sara Bejlek, serving up a first-set bagel. After cruising through nine straight games, Swiatek survived a marathon, 22-minute service game featuring 12 deuces in the second set before sealing a 6-0, 6-3 victory in straight sets.
Sabalenka Overcomes Slow Start
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka launched her Toronto campaign during the evening Centre Court session against Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima. After falling behind 0-2 early in the first set, Sabalenka roared back to win six of the next seven games. She navigated five consecutive breaks of serve in the second set before closing out a 6-3, 6-3 win.
Canadian Katherine Sebov Stopped by Kostyuk
Following her inspiring Day 2 victory, Canadian wildcard Katherine Sebov saw her Toronto singles run come to an end at the hands of 10th seed Marta Kostyuk. Despite Kostyuk struggling with seven double faults in the opening set, the Ukrainian survived a tight tiebreaker before rolling through the second set to win 7-6(4), 6-0.
Other Key WTA Results in Toronto
- [9] Elina Svitolina (UKR) outlasted Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4.
- [15] Diana Shnaider def. [Q] Rebecca Sramkova 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.
- [19] Madison Keys (USA) def. Antonia Ruzic 6-1, 6-2.
- [8] Amanda Anisimova (USA) advanced via walkover after Lanlana Tararudee withdrew.
- Viktorija Golubic (SUI) upset [31] Donna Vekic 7-5, 2-6, 3-6.
Special Ceremonies & Around the Grounds
Day 4 was packed with meaningful off-court events celebrating tennis culture, partnerships, and beloved figures:
- Rogers First Set Day: Both sites celebrated the 25th anniversary of the partnership between Tennis Canada and Rogers. Mini-tennis clinics and court ceremonies were held in both cities, featuring 2025 NBO champion Victoria Mboko and tournament executives.
- Tribute to Marc Messier in Montreal: Prior to Tuesday’s evening session, IGA Stadium held a touching memorial ceremony for the late Quebec actor, tennis icon, and former NBO spokesperson Marc Messier. Ball kids wore ‘Les Boys’ hockey jerseys in honor of his iconic acting role.
- Star Appearances & Celebrity Guests: NHL stars Logan Cooley and Brett Berard (Montreal Canadiens) attended the Montreal night session. In Toronto, Victoria Mboko, Sofia Kenin, and Karolina Pliskova hosted autograph sessions for fans.
Looking Ahead to Day 5
The third-round lineup will be finalized on Wednesday as more marquee stars enter the fray:
- In Montreal: Félix Auger-Aliassime, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, and Joao Fonseca open their NBO campaigns.
- In Toronto: High-stakes second-round WTA matches continue. Alexandra Eala, fresh from winning the WTA 500 Mubadala DC Open, will begin her campaign at the NBO 2026. She will face Alycia Parks of the United States in the last match of the night session on Centre Court.
