2026 National Bank Open Day 3 Recap: Monfils Delivers Late-Night Magic in Montreal
After Sunday’s rain delays forced a massive logjam across both host cities, Day 3 of the 2026 National Bank Open presented by Rogers delivered an extraordinary, action-packed Monday on August 3.
Fans in Montreal were treated to a vintage performance from fan-favorite Gaël Monfils and a hometown victory for Gabriel Diallo. Meanwhile, Toronto witnessed a landmark career moment for 21-year-old Canadian Kayla Cross, alongside an emotional farewell from veteran Carol Zhao.
Here is your complete recap of a historic “Super Monday” at IGA Stadium and Sobeys Stadium.
Part 1: Men’s Action in Montreal – Monfils Lights Up Night Session & Diallo Rallies Home
Montreal’s IGA Stadium saw a total of 15 completed main-draw opening-round matches as players rushed to clear the Sunday backlog.
Vintage Monfils Electrifies Centre Court Late at Night
In what is expected to be his final appearance at the National Bank Open as a touring professional, 39-year-old French superstar Gaël Monfils turned back the clock on Centre Court. Treating the packed, late-night crowd to highlight-reel acrobatic shots and charismatic reactions, Monfils defeated Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 6-4.
The match stretched near midnight, but fans stayed until the very end to cheer the Frenchman into the second round, where he will face No. 12 seed Learner Tien.
“Thank you for this atmosphere, thank you for being here, thank you from the bottom of my heart, you’re incredible!” — Gaël Monfils addressing the Montreal crowd during his post-match interview.
Gabriel Diallo Secures First Hometown Victory
Standing at 6-foot-8, Montreal native Gabriel Diallo gave the local crowd plenty to celebrate on Centre Court. Facing French qualifier Kyrian Jacquet, Diallo recovered from losing a tight opening-set tiebreaker to storm back for a 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Diallo relied on his heavy first serve (winning 77% of first-serve points) and aggressive forehand baseline play. The win marks Diallo’s first ATP main-draw victory in his hometown, setting up a second-round clash with Italy’s Luciano Darderi.
[WC] Gabriel Diallo (CAN) def. [Q] Kyrian Jacquet (FRA)
Score: 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-2 | Hometown Maiden Main-Draw Win
Notable Montreal Monday Men’s Results
- Mariano Navone (ARG) def. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 (Navone saved 11 of 12 break points)
- Marin Cilic (CRO) def. [Q] Sho Shimabukuro (JPN) 7-6(2), 6-1
- Cameron Norrie (GBR) def. Camilo Ugo Carabelli (ARG) 7-6(5), 6-4
- Corentin Moutet (FRA) def. Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-1, 6-2
- Alex Michelsen (USA) def. Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
- Vit Kopriva (CZE) def. [WC] Alexis Galarneau (CAN) 6-4, 6-4
- [Q] Titouan Droguet (FRA) def. Luca Van Assche (FRA) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(7) (Advances to face Félix Auger-Aliassime)
Part 2: Women’s Action in Toronto – Kayla Cross Milestone & Carol Zhao’s Farewell
With Sunday’s cancellations making for a packed Monday schedule at Sobeys Stadium, Toronto saw emotional highs and lows for Canadian tennis fans.
Milestone Victory: Kayla Cross Stuns Katie Boulter
The biggest headline on the women’s side was 21-year-old London, Ontario native Kayla Cross. Ranked No. 177 in the world and entering as a wild card, Cross earned her very first career WTA main-draw victory by knocking off World No. 72 Katie Boulter 7-6(3), 7-5 on Centre Court.
Cross showed immense poise in the opening set, saving four set points in the 12th game before winning the tiebreak, then breaking Boulter late in the second set to close out the biggest win of her young career.
“I think the crowd chanting my name and cheering for me before points gave me a lot of confidence… Even when I had lost a few games at the end of the first set, they were still cheering for me just as much as when I was winning.” — Kayla Cross
Emotional Farewell: Carol Zhao Bids Goodbye to Home Event
Shortly after Cross’ big win, 31-year-old Canadian veteran Carol Zhao played her final career match at the National Bank Open. Zhao, who announced earlier in the day that she will be retiring at the conclusion of the 2026 season, fell to Poland’s Magda Linette 6-4, 1-6, 4-6.
Zhao first competed in the event as a teenager back in 2013 and leaves behind a rich legacy, including a Gold medal for Canada at the 2015 Pan American Games. She will join the Tennis Canada Board of Directors as an observing member following her full retirement later this year.
Other Canadian & Major Results in Toronto
- Nikola Bartunkova def. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 7-5, 6-4
- Zeynep Sonmez def. Rebecca Marino (CAN) 7-5, 6-4
- McCartney Kessler def. Cadence Brace (CAN) 6-3, 6-3
- Sloane Stephens (USA) def. Solana Sierra (ARG) 6-3, 6-4
- Liudmila Samsonova def. Janice Tjen (INA) 7-6(9), 7-5
- Shuai Zhang (CHN) def. Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-4, 6-1
Across the Grounds: Off-Court & Special Guests
Off-court festivities remained lively across both venues on Monday:
- Montreal Opening Cocktail: Quebec celebrities and media figures—including Alexandre Despatie, Kevin Raphael, Ariane Brunet, and Katrine Duhaime—gathered for the tournament’s official opening cocktail ahead of Monday’s night session.
- Toronto Star Sessions: Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina and 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko hosted Q&A and autograph sessions for fans.
- Distinguished Service Awards: Tennis Canada held a special on-court ceremony in Toronto to honor the 2025 Distinguished Service Award recipients for their outstanding contributions to Canadian tennis.
Looking Ahead to Day 4
Main-draw play continues Tuesday as some opening-round actions conclude and second-round matches kick off across both Montreal and Toronto:
- In Montreal: Gabriel Diallo returns for a night-session clash with Luciano Darderi.
- In Toronto: Second-round action gets underway as top seeds join the fray following their opening-round byes.
