2026 National Bank Open Day 7 Recap: Leylah Fernandez Upsets Andreeva
The 2026 National Bank Open presented by Rogers completed its Round of 32 on a thrilling Friday, August 7. Packed crowds across IGA Stadium in Montreal and Sobeys Stadium in Toronto were treated to marquee clashes, electrifying Next-Gen breakthroughs, and milestone home victories.
In Toronto, local hero Leylah Annie Fernandez delivered her biggest performance in years to upset Roland-Garros champion Mirra Andreeva, while four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka and Philippine sensation Alexandra Eala thrilled fans under the lights. Over in Montreal, 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca dethroned Casper Ruud to book a mouth-watering fourth-round clash against defending champion Ben Shelton.
Here is your complete recap of all the Day 7 action on and off the court.
Part 1: Men’s Action in Montreal – Fonseca Upsets Ruud, Next-Gen Stars Take Center Stage
The remaining spots in Montreal’s Round of 16 were claimed on Friday, highlighted by a star-studded showdown between two of tennis’ brightest young talents and established Grand Slam contenders.
Joao Fonseca Dethrones Casper Ruud
In the match of the day at IGA Stadium, Brazilian phenomenon Joao Fonseca put on a masterclass of baseline hitting to eliminate three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud 7-6(6), 6-3.
Ruud earned five break points in Fonseca’s opening two service games, but the 19-year-old dug deep to stay on serve. After falling behind 3-5 in the opening-set tiebreaker, Fonseca reeled off consecutive forehand winners and captured the set on a tight backhand overhead that clipped the baseline.
Riding that momentum into the second set, Fonseca fired 16 second-set winners to secure his second win over a Grand Slam finalist this week (following his earlier win over Stefanos Tsitsipas). With Fonseca’s win alongside Spanish teen Rafael Jodar, two teenagers have reached the Round of 16 in Canada for the first time since Denis Shapovalov and Tsitsipas did so in 2018.
[22] Joao Fonseca (BRA) def. [9] Casper Ruud (NOR)
Score: 7-6(6), 6-3 | Reaches First ATP Masters 1000 Fourth Round in Canada
Ben Shelton Keeps Winning Title Defense Run
Defending champion Ben Shelton made quick work of 31st seed Zizou Bergs on Centre Court, powering to a 6-3, 6-2 victory in just 71 minutes. The American 5th seed dropped only four points on his first serve and saved all three break points he faced. The victory sets up a highly anticipated fourth-round clash against Joao Fonseca on Sunday.
Learner Tien Stuns Tommy Paul; Tirante Tops Popyrin
- Learner Tien Surge: Nineteen-year-old American Learner Tien produced an immaculate baseline performance to upset 17th seed Tommy Paul 6-3, 6-2. Tien converted four of five break points to secure his spot in the Round of 16.
- Thiago Tirante Advances: Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante ended the comeback run of 2024 Montreal champion Alexei Popyrin with a crisp 6-3, 6-4 victory. Tirante will next face Tien for a spot in the quarterfinals.
- Van de Zandschulp Outlasts Hurkacz: Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp saved match points in the second set tiebreaker to overcome Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-5.
Other Notable Montreal Men’s Results
- [13] Jakub Mensik (CZE) d. Terence Atmane (FRA) 7-5, 6-4
- Tallon Griekspoor (NED) d. [30] Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
- Daniel Merida (ESP) d. Alex Michelsen (USA) 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-1
Part 2: Women’s Action in Toronto – Fernandez Stuns Andreeva; Osaka & Eala Grind Through
Sobeys Stadium brought pure theater on Friday as Canadian favorite Leylah Annie Fernandez took center stage alongside international powerhouses.
Leylah Fernandez Claims Marquee Upset Over Mirra Andreeva
In what was hailed as her biggest victory since her 2021 US Open run, Canadian No. 1 Leylah Annie Fernandez (seeded 30th) put on a defensive counter-punching clinic to dismantle 5th seed and Roland-Garros champion Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-4.
Fernandez used her left-handed angles to frustrate Andreeva from the outset, breaking serve four times. Though she wobbled slightly when serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set, Fernandez made no mistake on her second opportunity, sending the Centre Court crowd into a frenzy.
“I just wanted to compete for every single ball and give the crowd something to cheer for. To get a win like this at home means everything.” — Leylah Annie Fernandez
Alexandra Eala Fights Through Injury to Beat McNally
Philippine phenom Alexandra Eala (seeded 25th) delivered a heroic display on Centre Court, battling through foot discomfort to defeat American Caty McNally 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Eala required medical timeouts in the second set as McNally forced a decider. Showing remarkable determination, Eala grabbed an early break in the third set and held serve throughout to close out the three-hour battle.
Naomi Osaka & Coco Gauff Move On; Rybakina Survives
- Naomi Osaka Masterclass: Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka (seeded 11th) needed just 62 minutes to blow past 20th seed Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2, firing 22 winners and saving all three break points against her.
- Coco Gauff Dominates Sakkari: 4th seed Coco Gauff broke Maria Sakkari five times en route to a 6-1, 6-4 victory, navigating a late second-set fightback from the Greek star.
- Elena Rybakina Fends Off Ann Li: World No. 2 Elena Rybakina won four straight games from 3-5 down in the second set to avoid a decider, defeating Ann Li 6-2, 7-5.
- Belinda Bencic Outlasts Townsend: In a marathon lasting three hours and 26 minutes, 12th seed Belinda Bencic edged Taylor Townsend 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4.
Other Notable Toronto WTA Results
- [Q] Alina Korneeva d. [13] Iva Jovic (USA) 6-3, 6-4
- Liudmila Samsonova d. [Q] Maya Joint (AUS) 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-2
- [1] Katerina Siniakova / Shuai Zhang d. Mirra Andreeva / Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-2 (Doubles)
Off-Court Highlights & Foodie Delights
- OBN à Table Launch: Friday marked the launch of ‘OBN à Table’ hosted by Chef John Mike in Montreal, kicking off a premium culinary experience that runs through TennisFest Weekend.
- Retro Night Preview: Organizers reminded fans attending Saturday night’s sessions in Montreal to wear 1990s-inspired outfits for “Retro Night presented by Iris” to celebrate iconic tennis fashion.
Looking Ahead to Day 8
With the tournament reaching its business end on Saturday, August 8, the Round of 16 gets underway across both host cities. High-stakes singles clashes and top-tier doubles matchups fill a jam-packed schedule in Montreal and Toronto.
In Montreal (ATP)
- Centre Court Action: The day session features two high-octane Round of 16 singles battles, starting with Nuno Borges against Luciano Darderi [19], followed by Arthur Rinderknech [23] taking on Brandon Nakashima [28]. The night session kicks off with 8th seed Jiri Lehecka taking on 19-year-old Spanish sensation Rafael Jodar [20], followed by 18th seed Arthur Fils clashing with British veteran Cameron Norrie.
- Rogers Court & Outside Courts: Canadian wild cards Duncan Chan and Alexis Galarneau return to action in doubles, facing 8th seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Kevin Krawietz. On the singles side, doubles featuring World No. 1 seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, as well as Daniil Medvedev partnering with Fabian Marozsan, take the stage.
In Toronto (WTA)
- Centre Court Blockbusters: A blockbuster day session features 10th seed Marta Kostyuk clashing with 7th seed Iga Swiatek, followed by two-time NBO champion Jessica Pegula [3] taking on 15th seed Diana Shnaider. The night session brings World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka against 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, followed by 9th seed Elina Svitolina facing 8th seed Amanda Anisimova.
- Grandstand & Court 4 Highlights: Top-seeded doubles teams take over Grandstand and Court 4, headlined by World No. 1 pair Katerina Siniakova and Shuai Zhang facing Coco Gauff and Caty McNally, as well as 5th seeds Su-Wei Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko taking on Ulrikke Eikeri and Quinn Gleason.
