By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 7, 2026
Photo credit: National Bank Open Facebook
One is the loneliest number.
Leave it to Leylah Fernandez to find strength in solitary status.
A fired-up Fernandez won 11 of the first 13 games, upsetting Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-4, to earn a spot in the National Bank Open fourth round—and a standing ovation from Toronto fans.
Playing her most dynamic tennis of the season, Fernandez won 24 of 27 first-serve points and faced only one break point in an impressive 80-minute sweep.
It is Fernandez’s eighth career Top-10 win—and her first Top 10 triumph of the season.
The Montreal-born Fernandez is the lone Canadian still standing in the singles field a year after compatriot Victoria Mboko electrified Montreal fans capturing the Canadian Open championship.
Carrying a nation’s hopes on her shoulders has fueled Fernandez to a pair of confident straight-sets wins.
“I knew that I was the last Canadian standing. My dad specifically said that before I walked on court,” said Fernandez after her 6-2, 6-2 win over Renata Zarazua in her opener.
“I guess that kind of lit a little fire in me, because you know, I’ve always said that we have a lot of Canadians, young Canadian tennis players who are doing extremely well.
“ And I want to be able to kind of motivate them to keep going and to keep believing in themselves. Hopefully, one day Canada’s not only a winter sport country, but it could also be a summer sport country.”
The left-handed Fernandez, who has yet to drop a set matching her best National Bank Open result, will face either former No. 1 Naomi Osaka or 20th-seeded Belgian Elise Mertens for a quarterfinal spot.
Earlier, reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina saved a couple of set points fending off American Ann Li, 6-2, 7-5. Rybakina converted five of six break points in a 90-minute victory.
The second-seeded Rybakina, who saved the first set point with Li serving at 5-3 and the second set point on her own serve at 4-5, improved to 36-11.
Continuing her quest to surpass Aryna Sabalenka for the world No. 1 ranking, the 2025 semifinalist Rybakina will play Liudmila Samsonova or Maya Joint in the round of 16.
Playing tough territorial tennis, Fernandez repeatedly beat reigning Roland Garros champion Andreeva to the punch in baseline rallies from the outset.
Timing the ball well, Fernandez slammed some crosscourt forehand drives into Andreeva’s strength—the two-handed backhand—and changed direction deftly breaking in the second seed’s opening service game.
Andreeva held at 15 to extend her lead to 4-1.
On her first set point, Fernandez served out the opening set at 30 raising a clenched fist to her camp.
Since her inspired run to her maiden major on the red clay of Roland Garros, Andreeva has been a bit sluggish, understandable given her career-changing victory in Paris. Andreeva dropped only one set in seven victories to hoist the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen and set off champagne celebration among supporters.
In the hazy hangover since her Paris peak, Andreeva has yet to win back-to-back matches, bowing to 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova in the Wimbledon second round.
The 2025 Indian Wells champion looked cranky at times today as Fernandez ripped through 11 of 13 games for a 6-1, 5-1 lead.
Four points from the most lopsided loss of her pro career, Andreeva began to amp up her aggression. Andreeva rolled through eight of 10 points cutting the gap to 4-5 and ratcheting up pressure on the Canadian to serve it out.
Fernandez drew a couple of forehand errors from the French Open champion serving out her first Top 10 win in a year in 80 minutes.