By Canadian Press on August 5, 2026.

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez celebrates a point against Mexico’s Renata Zarazua at the National Bank Open in Toronto on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

TORONTO — Leylah Fernandez knew the stakes before she stepped onto centre court.

The 23-year-old Canadian had just shared a word with her father — and co-coach — ahead of the tennis star’s first match at the National Bank Open.

Despite having yet to swing a racket in anger at the home-soil event after getting an opening-round bye as the No. 30 seed, Fernandez was already the country’s last hope in both the women’s and men’s singles draw.

The Laval, Que., product carried that torch in impressive fashion.

Fernandez fired three aces and connected on five of six break-point opportunities Wednesday to breeze past Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 6-2, 6-2 in front of a partisan crowd at Sobeys Stadium.

“A little bit nerve-racking,” she said. “But happy I was able to manage those nerves and enjoy the moment.”

The pressure was also squarely on Fernandez’s shoulders.

Kayla Cross of London, Ont., was bounced by Ann Li of the United States 7-6 (2), 6-3 earlier in the day.

Toronto’s Katherine Sebov lost in the second round Tuesday and 2019 winner Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., was eliminated Monday in her first match as the red-and-white women’s contingent melted from eight to one in short order.

Victoria Mboko of Burlington, Ont., who captured last summer’s NBO title at age 18, is sitting out this year’s event because of a knee issue.

The Canadian men, meanwhile, have been cut down by injuries of their own in Montreal. Dennis Shapovalov and Gabe Diallo retired from their matches Tuesday before No. 2 seed Félix Auger-Aliassime withdrew with a back problem Wednesday.

“I knew that I was the last Canadian standing,” Fernandez said. “I guess that lit a little fire in me. We have a lot young Canadian tennis players who are doing extremely well. And I want to be able to motivate them to keep going and to keep believing.

“Hopefully, one day Canada’s not only a winter-sport country, but it could also be a summer-sport country.”

The runner-up at the 2021 U.S. Open currently ranked No. 34 on the WTA Tour, Fernandez secured three break points in the first set, including with Zarazua, the world No. 73, on serve at 5-2.

Fernandez, whose best NBO showing was a round-of-16 appearance at the 2023 event in Montreal, went up 3-2 with a break in the second before cruising to victory in one hour 23 minutes.

Fernandez, lost her first-round match last year in Montreal and earned a career-high rank of No. 13 in August 2022, improved to 3-0 against Zarazua all-time and will next face No. 5 Mirra Andreeva.

Rising star Alexandra Eala of the Philippines defeated Alycia Parks of the U.S. 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 before an electric centre-court crowd accented by a strong showing from her country’s diaspora in the Toronto area.

Late matches early in the tournament are often sparsely attended. This one was different.

Filipino flags dotted the stands, while the chair umpire had to ask the crowd for quiet at different moments in what was a party atmosphere at the venue on Toronto’s northern edge.

Seeded 25th and ranked 20th, Eala became the first Filipino to pick up a WTA win when she bested world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in Monday’s rain-delayed D.C. Open final.

The 21-year-old will face Caty McNally in the third round after the American provided the day’s biggest upset by defeating No. 6 Linda Noskova.

Fernandez, who has Filipino heritage on her mother’s side, has got to know Eala on tour and watched her rise.

“The Filipino community are super proud,” she said of the support. “They’re proud of anybody who comes from the country … I definitely felt that when I came onto the scene.”

Cross fell 7-6 (2), 6-3 to Ann Li of the U.S. after the 21-year-old from London, Ont., shocked the US$7.4-million tournament Monday by upsetting Britain’s Katie Boulter to earn a first tour victory in just her third match.

Seeded players advancing Wednesday included Andreeva, Pegula, No. 2 Elena Rybakina, No. 4 Coco Gauff, No. 11 Naomi Osaka, No. 12 Belinda Bencic, No. 13 Iva Jovic, No. 20 Elise Mertens and No. 29 Maria Sakkari.

Apart from McNally’s surprise performance against Noskova, Maya Joint upset No. 14 Sorana Cirstea, Alina Korneeva downed No. 23 Emma Navarro, Taylor Townsend beat No. 21 Marie Bouzkova, and Liudmila Samsonova got past No. 22 Barbora Krejcikova.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka won her second-round opener Tuesday night in the four-time Grand Slam winner’s return to action after disappointing results at the French Open and Wimbledon.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2026.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

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