National Bank Open 2026 Turns Wild: Eala, Fernandez and Fonseca Rise as Favorites Keep Falling

The National Bank Open 2026 has reached its second week with two tournaments moving in very different directions. Montreal has lost many of its biggest men’s contenders, while Toronto has produced a fascinating mix of established champions, home-crowd emotion and rising players who refuse to disappear.

Seven days into Canada’s biggest tennis event, certainty has become increasingly difficult to find.

Alexander Zverev arrived in Montreal as the top seed, French Open champion and obvious favorite. Daniil Medvedev brought a long record of success on North American hard courts. Taylor Fritz entered Canada carrying a Washington title. Alex de Minaur survived the initial wave of upsets and briefly became the highest-ranked man left in the draw.

All four are now gone.

Ben Shelton remains alive to defend his National Bank Open title. Joao Fonseca has knocked out two Grand Slam finalists in his first two matches. Learner Tien is quietly building another significant Masters 1000 run. Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp have turned Montreal into an unlikely Dutch stronghold.

Toronto has developed differently.

Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff are still advancing. Naomi Osaka suddenly looks dangerous again on hard courts. Leylah Fernandez produced the biggest Canadian moment of the tournament by overwhelming Mirra Andreeva. Alexandra Eala has extended the momentum created by her historic Washington title despite entering Toronto with almost no recovery time.

The result is a National Bank Open that feels less predictable with every session.

For complete tournament previews, results and continuing coverage, readers can follow The Sports Encounter’s Tennis section and revisit our National Bank Open 2026 tournament preview.

Official schedules, draws and tournament information are available through the National Bank Open presented by Rogers.

National Bank Open 2026 First-Week Snapshot

Storyline	What Has Happened
Top men’s seed	Alexander Zverev eliminated by Tallon Griekspoor
Other major ATP exits	Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti, Andrey Rublev
Defending men’s champion	Ben Shelton remains alive
ATP breakout story	Joao Fonseca has beaten Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud
Biggest Toronto upset Friday	Leylah Fernandez beat Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-4
Eala’s latest result	Beat Caty McNally 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
Osaka’s latest result	Beat Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2
Rybakina’s latest result	Beat Ann Li 6-2, 7-5
Gauff’s latest result	Beat Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4
Tournament dates	August 2-13, 2026 main-draw period
Men’s venue	IGA Stadium, Montreal
Women’s venue	Sobeys Stadium, Toronto

TL;DR

• Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur are already out of the men’s tournament.
• Defending champion Ben Shelton reached the round of 16 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Zizou Bergs.
• Joao Fonseca defeated Casper Ruud 7-6(6), 6-3 after previously beating Stefanos Tsitsipas.
• Learner Tien eliminated Tommy Paul 6-3, 6-2.
• Tallon Griekspoor followed his upset of Zverev by beating Matteo Arnaldi.
• Leylah Fernandez stunned world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-4.
• Alexandra Eala survived Caty McNally in three sets despite receiving treatment for foot discomfort.
• Naomi Osaka dominated Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2.
• Elena Rybakina recovered from a second-set deficit to beat Ann Li 6-2, 7-5.
• Coco Gauff reached the round of 16 with a straight-sets victory over Maria Sakkari.

Montreal Has Lost the Hierarchy It Started With

The men’s National Bank Open began with an unusual opportunity already built into the draw.

Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic withdrew before the tournament, while Carlos Alcaraz was unavailable because of his wrist problem. The Sports Encounter examined those absences before play began in our analysis of why Sinner and Djokovic skipped Montreal.

That left Zverev with the clearest route to becoming the central figure of the event.

It lasted one match.

Griekspoor recovered from losing the opening set to defeat Zverev 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4. Later that same day, Van de Zandschulp removed Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(5), while Thiago Agustin Tirante defeated Fritz 7-5, 6-3.

The Sports Encounter documented that extraordinary session in our National Bank Open Day 5 report.

At that point, Alex de Minaur became one of the highest-ranked surviving players.

Then Cameron Norrie beat him 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-1.

Montreal had lost another possible anchor.

Ben Shelton Suddenly Looks Like the Established Man in the Room

Defending champion Ben Shelton now occupies an intriguing position.

Twelve months ago, he won his first Masters 1000 title in Canada. This year he entered the tournament surrounded by higher-ranked players and several more experienced Masters champions.

Many of them have disappeared.

Shelton has not.

After defeating Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 7-5 in his opening match, the American produced a more comfortable performance against Zizou Bergs on Friday.

He won 6-3, 6-2 in only 64 minutes.

That efficiency matters.

The expanded 12-day Masters format creates recovery time, but it also rewards players who can avoid unnecessary physical work before the closing rounds. Shelton has so far achieved that better than several players who arrived with stronger recent résumés.

His next opponent introduces an entirely different problem.

Joao Fonseca Has Become Montreal’s Most Dangerous Young Player

Fonseca’s first trip to Montreal has already produced two victories that would normally define an entire tournament run.

He first defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(3), 7-5.

Then came Casper Ruud.

Ruud had opportunities to control Friday’s third-round match. He created five break points across Fonseca’s first two service games and eventually broke for a 4-2 advantage.

The Brazilian survived the difficult opening period, recovered the break and forced a tiebreak.

Ruud led that tiebreak 5-3.

Fonseca still took the set.

The second became far more decisive. Fonseca attacked the backhand side effectively, accumulated 16 winners against only seven unforced errors during the set and completed a 7-6(6), 6-3 victory.

For the second consecutive match in Montreal, he had eliminated a Grand Slam finalist.

The consequence is one of the most appealing round-of-16 matches of the tournament:

Ben Shelton vs Joao Fonseca.

Shelton brings the defending champion’s serve, athleticism and experience of winning this event. Fonseca brings fearless ball-striking and the confidence that comes from solving two difficult opponents in succession.

They have already met once this year, with Shelton winning on clay in Munich.

Montreal should present a very different match.

Learner Tien Is Building a Run Without Much Noise

Fonseca is attracting the louder attention, but Learner Tien has been equally convincing.

The American defeated Gael Monfils 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 in an emotionally charged match that marked the Frenchman’s final National Bank Open appearance.

Tien then faced compatriot Tommy Paul on Friday.

The result was considerably more straightforward.

Tien won 6-3, 6-2 and booked a fourth-round meeting with Tirante.

That matchup gives him a realistic route toward the quarterfinals, although Tirante has already demonstrated why ranking expectations have meant little in Montreal.

The Argentine eliminated Fritz and then defeated former champion Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-4.

Every remaining opponent in this draw now carries evidence that he belongs.

The Dutch Run Has Become More Than One Night of Upsets

Griekspoor and Van de Zandschulp could easily have followed their headline victories with emotional letdowns.

Neither did.

Griekspoor dropped the first set against Matteo Arnaldi before winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Van de Zandschulp faced a more difficult escape against Hubert Hurkacz.

He lost the first set 6-3, edged the second-set tiebreak 7-4 and then won the deciding set 7-5.

The significance is important.

Defeating Zverev or Medvedev creates a headline. Winning again determines whether the upset actually changes the tournament.

Both Dutch players have now done that.

Rafael Jodar Keeps Adding Substance to His Breakthrough Season

Rafael Jodar’s rise has also continued in Montreal.

The 19-year-old defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-3 after coming through a three-set match against Corentin Moutet.

Jodar entered Canada shortly after losing the Mubadala DC Open final to Taylor Fritz, a match The Sports Encounter covered in our report on Fritz’s Washington title.

His ability to immediately reproduce that level at a Masters 1000 event strengthens the argument that Washington was part of a genuine development curve.

The physical challenge becomes greater now.

A long North American hard-court stretch can expose younger players who are still adapting to the travel, heat, recovery and repeated high-level matches required on tour.

So far, Jodar continues to answer those questions positively.

Toronto’s Story Is Becoming About Momentum

While Montreal has been defined by elimination, Toronto has been shaped by players carrying momentum from very different places.

Rybakina is trying to establish herself near the top of the women’s hierarchy.

Gauff is building another North American hard-court campaign.

Osaka has brought the confidence generated by a strong Wimbledon.

Fernandez has found emotional energy from the Canadian crowd.

Eala arrived with almost no time to process the biggest title of her career.

The common thread is that several of the most compelling players in the draw look increasingly comfortable rather than increasingly tired.

Leylah Fernandez Gives Canada Its Moment

Fernandez entered Friday as the last Canadian remaining in either National Bank Open singles draw.

Her opponent was Mirra Andreeva, the reigning Roland Garros champion and world No. 5.

The pressure could easily have become restrictive.

Instead, Fernandez produced one of her cleanest performances of the season.

She committed only four unforced errors in the opening set and won it 6-1 in approximately half an hour.

The second set began with another surge. Fernandez broke twice and moved ahead 3-0 before Andreeva attempted to fight back.

There was a brief wobble when Fernandez failed to serve out the match at her first opportunity.

She recovered immediately.

The Canadian closed a 6-1, 6-4 victory while winning 89 percent of her first-serve points.

It was her first Top 5 victory since her Washington title run in 2025 and her biggest win of the current season.

The reaction inside Sobeys Stadium reflected the stakes.

Canada’s singles hopes now rest with her.

Fernandez vs Osaka Is More Than a Crowd Match

Fernandez’s reward is a fourth-round meeting with Naomi Osaka.

That matchup deserves attention beyond the Canadian storyline.

Osaka destroyed Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2 on Friday. She was never broken, saved all three break points she faced and broke Mertens twice in each set.

Her ball-striking looked clean, her court position remained assertive and the match never developed into the kind of extended physical contest that might have drained her before the second week.

Osaka’s recent form has been building for some time.

At Wimbledon she defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and reached the quarterfinals before losing to Karolina Muchova. The Sports Encounter covered that breakthrough in our Wimbledon report on Osaka’s victory over Sabalenka.

Fernandez will now test whether Osaka can maintain that aggression against a left-handed counterpuncher backed by a partisan crowd.

Alexandra Eala Refuses to Come Down From Washington

Eala’s presence in the Toronto round of 16 may be the most impressive physical story of the tournament.

Only days before the National Bank Open began, she completed a rain-delayed Washington final against Jessica Pegula.

Eala recovered from a set down to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 and become the first Filipino player to win a WTA Tour singles title.

The complete breakthrough is covered in The Sports Encounter’s report on Eala’s historic Washington championship.

Toronto offered almost no recovery window.

She still defeated Alycia Parks in three sets.

Then she faced Caty McNally on Friday night.

Eala recovered from a 1-3 deficit in the opening set by winning five consecutive games. She then moved ahead early in the second.

The match became considerably harder when she began receiving treatment on her foot and showed visible discomfort while moving.

McNally forced a deciding set.

Eala responded by breaking immediately in the third and protecting that advantage all the way to the finish.

The final score was 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.

That victory revealed something different from her Washington title.

Washington showed how high Eala’s level can rise.

Toronto is showing what she can do when the body is tired, momentum shifts and the match becomes uncomfortable.

Rybakina Keeps Winning Even When Her Serve Wobbles

Elena Rybakina has not played flawless tennis in Toronto.

That may actually make her progress more interesting.

Her opening victory against Daria Kasatkina required three sets and contained an extraordinary combination of 58 winners and 58 unforced errors.

Against Ann Li, Rybakina looked much cleaner early.

She broke immediately and won the opening set 6-2.

The second became complicated.

Li moved ahead 5-3 and created an opportunity to force a decider.

Rybakina responded by winning four consecutive games.

She broke when Li served for the set, survived pressure on her own serve, broke again and closed the match 6-2, 7-5.

She also struck her 306th ace of the season, the highest total on the WTA Tour at this stage.

Rybakina has therefore reached the round of 16 without finding her absolute best level for an entire match.

For a title contender, that can be encouraging.

Coco Gauff’s Return Game Does the Heavy Lifting

Gauff’s 6-1, 6-4 victory over Maria Sakkari was built around pressure on return.

The American broke Sakkari five times.

She nearly complicated the finish after leading 5-1 in the second set, allowing Sakkari to recover one break and move to 5-4.

Gauff closed the match on her second opportunity.

There was little spectacular about the result, which may be exactly why it was useful.

Early rounds at major preparation tournaments are often more valuable when a contender can advance without creating unnecessary drama.

Gauff has already played enough high-pressure tennis this season. Toronto is about building rhythm toward New York.

Belinda Bencic Survives the Match of the Day

Not every important Friday match was quick.

Belinda Bencic and Taylor Townsend spent three hours and 26 minutes separating themselves.

Townsend won the opening set 7-6(5).

The second also reached a tiebreak, with Bencic taking it 7-6(4).

Bencic then broke early in the third before Townsend fought back to 4-4.

The Swiss immediately regained the break and served out a 6-4 deciding set.

The final score, 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4, captures how small the margins were.

Matches like this often matter beyond one round because recovery becomes part of the next opponent’s strategy.

Alina Korneeva Adds Another Young Name to the Conversation

Qualifier Alina Korneeva has quietly constructed one of Toronto’s surprise runs.

She defeated Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-4 on Friday to reach the fourth round of a WTA 1000 event for the first time.

Korneeva came through qualifying after previously trailing by a set and a break, and she has now eliminated consecutive seeded opponents in straight sets.

Her presence adds another layer to a women’s tournament already filled with young players challenging established expectations.

Eala, Andreeva and Jovic entered Toronto carrying considerable attention.

Korneeva may end up being the less familiar teenager who stays longest.

What Happened to the Original Favorites?

The National Bank Open began with a very different hierarchy.

Alexander Zverev

The French Open champion was eliminated in his opening match by Griekspoor.

Daniil Medvedev

His reputation as one of the strongest North American hard-court players of his generation could not prevent a straight-sets loss to Van de Zandschulp.

Taylor Fritz

The Washington champion fell immediately to Tirante and could not convert his recent title into another deep run.

Alex de Minaur

After surviving the first upset wave, the Australian lost in three sets to Norrie.

Mirra Andreeva

The Roland Garros champion was comprehensively outplayed by Fernandez in Toronto.

Linda Noskova

The Wimbledon champion had already exited against McNally after surrendering a 5-1 first-set lead.

The Sports Encounter’s previous National Bank Open Day 4 report tracked several of the earlier shifts that began destabilizing both draws.

The U.S. Open Context Is Becoming Impossible to Ignore

Canada is important on its own.

It is also one of the clearest laboratories for what may happen in New York.

The U.S. Open singles main draw begins later this month, giving players only a limited period to sharpen hard-court patterns and manage physical load.

Several questions are already emerging.

Can Shelton become a genuine U.S. Open title threat?

Repeating a deep Canadian run would strengthen his case considerably.

How quickly is Fonseca moving toward the sport’s top tier?

Beating Tsitsipas and Ruud in succession at a Masters 1000 event suggests his ceiling is moving closer to his week-to-week level.

Can Osaka return to Grand Slam-winning hard-court form?

Her Wimbledon run showed progress. Toronto could provide stronger evidence because hard courts remain the surface most naturally suited to her first-strike game.

How dangerous is Eala now?

She has gone from Wimbledon breakthrough to Washington champion to Toronto round-of-16 player in a matter of weeks.

Can Rybakina convert survival into dominance?

She is winning despite uneven stretches. The next rounds should show whether the serve and baseline timing can stabilize.

Those broader questions are explored in The Sports Encounter’s complete US Open 2026 preview.

National Bank Open 2026 Round-of-16 Storylines to Watch

Storyline	Why It Matters
Ben Shelton vs Joao Fonseca	Defending champion meets the young player who has already beaten Tsitsipas and Ruud
Leylah Fernandez vs Naomi Osaka	Canada’s final singles hope faces one of the most dangerous hard-court attackers in the draw
Alexandra Eala’s physical condition	She required treatment against McNally after an exhausting run from Washington
Rybakina’s serve	Her ceiling remains enormous if she reduces the mid-match dips seen in her first two matches
Learner Tien’s opportunity	His draw has opened and a Masters 1000 quarterfinal is within reach
Dutch momentum	Griekspoor and Van de Zandschulp have shown their upsets were not isolated results
Gauff’s return form	Her pressure on second serves can become increasingly decisive against stronger opponents

What the First Week Has Really Told Us

The most revealing feature of National Bank Open 2026 has been how quickly reputation has lost value.

Zverev’s Grand Slam breakthrough did not protect him.

Medvedev’s hard-court history did not protect him.

Fritz’s Washington momentum did not protect him.

Andreeva’s Roland Garros title did not protect her.

Noskova’s Wimbledon championship did not protect her.

The players still standing have generally solved the match in front of them rather than relying on the status created by the previous tournament.

That sounds obvious, but the North American summer exposes the difference brutally.

The surfaces change. Temperatures rise. Travel accumulates. Recovery windows shrink. Players arrive carrying trophies, injuries, disappointment and expectations from completely different parts of the season.

The player who looked unbeatable three weeks earlier can suddenly appear ordinary.

The player ranked outside the major favorites can find one clean week and transform an entire draw.

Final Verdict

The National Bank Open began as an important preparation tournament before the U.S. Open.

It has already become something more interesting.

Montreal has lost enough favorites that the championship no longer belongs to a clearly defined hierarchy. Shelton is the defending champion, but Fonseca, Tien, Griekspoor, Van de Zandschulp, Jodar and several others now have genuine reasons to believe the trophy is available.

Toronto retains more of its established power structure, yet the emotional center of the event has shifted.

Fernandez gave Canada its defining victory by beating Andreeva. Eala continues producing results that would have seemed extraordinary only a few months ago. Osaka is playing with increasing authority. Rybakina and Gauff continue advancing without needing their absolute best tennis.

The tournament still has nearly a week remaining.

That may be the most exciting part.

The first seven days have already removed champions, exposed vulnerabilities and created matchups nobody would have confidently predicted when the draws were released.

Now the question changes.

Who can turn opportunity into a championship?

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is still playing at the National Bank Open 2026?

Leading players still in contention after the completed August 7 action include Ben Shelton, Joao Fonseca, Learner Tien, Tallon Griekspoor, Botic van de Zandschulp, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Leylah Fernandez and Alexandra Eala.

Is Alexander Zverev still in the National Bank Open?

No. Top seed Alexander Zverev lost 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4 to Tallon Griekspoor in Montreal.

Who beat Daniil Medvedev?

Botic van de Zandschulp defeated Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(5).

Who did Joao Fonseca beat in Montreal?

Fonseca defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(3), 7-5 and then beat Casper Ruud 7-6(6), 6-3.

Who will Ben Shelton play next?

Shelton is scheduled to face Joao Fonseca in the round of 16.

Did Leylah Fernandez beat Mirra Andreeva?

Yes. Fernandez defeated the reigning Roland Garros champion 6-1, 6-4.

Who will Leylah Fernandez play next?

Fernandez will face Naomi Osaka in the round of 16.

Did Alexandra Eala win her latest National Bank Open match?

Yes. Eala defeated Caty McNally 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to reach the round of 16.

How did Naomi Osaka perform against Elise Mertens?

Osaka won 6-1, 6-2 without dropping serve.

Did Coco Gauff advance?

Yes. Gauff defeated Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4.

Where is the National Bank Open 2026 being played?

The men’s ATP Masters 1000 event is being played at IGA Stadium in Montreal, while the women’s WTA 1000 event is being held at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto.

When does the National Bank Open 2026 end?

The tournament concludes on August 13, with both competitions moving through the round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals before the championship matches.