The National Bank Open in Toronto showcased a thrilling day of tennis on Thursday, as top two seeds Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the third round, while Naomi Osaka suffered an early exit.
Coco Gauff overcomes a tough test
Top seed Coco Gauff began her North American summer campaign with a hard-fought win over China’s Wang Yafan, securing a 6-4 6-4 victory in the second round. Despite what the scoreline suggests, Gauff faced a stiff challenge from world No. 72 Wang, who had already claimed a significant victory over former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the previous round.
Gauff, the world No. 2, started strong, racing to a 4-1 lead in the opening set. However, Wang battled back to level the score at 4-4, forcing Gauff to elevate her game. The American responded by winning five consecutive games, closing out the set and taking control of the match. Gauff’s ability to step up in critical moments was evident as she clinched the victory in 1 hour and 28 minutes, marking her fourth consecutive year with an opening-round win at the Canadian Open.
Reflecting on her performance, Gauff acknowledged the challenge of transitioning back to hard courts after her clay-court campaign at the Paris Olympics. “I think I made some more errors than I’m used to, but overall, I think I was building the points the correct way,” Gauff said. Despite a rocky start, she was pleased with her ability to find her rhythm as the match progressed.
Sabalenka’s confident return
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka continued her successful return to hard courts, comfortably defeating No. 42 Yuan Yue 6-2 6-2. Sabalenka, who missed Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury, showed no signs of rust in her second tournament on hard courts this season, powering past her opponent in one hour and 21 minutes.
Sabalenka expressed relief at being able to compete without the fear of re-injury. “Now I feel much better with my shoulder,” she said. “I realize that I don’t have to protect it, that it’s done, it’s clean, I can go for it without fear that I can get injured again.” With her shoulder no longer a concern, Sabalenka is focused on making her first hard-court final since January.
The world No. 3 will face Great Britain’s Katie Boulter in the third round, as she continues her quest for a deep run in Toronto.
Osaka’s loss to Mertens
Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka suffered a defeat at the hands of Belgium’s Elise Mertens, losing 6-3 6-4. Mertens capitalized on Osaka’s inconsistent play, particularly her erratic errors from the baseline, to secure a spot in the Round of 16.
This loss marks Mertens’ second victory over Osaka this season, having previously defeated her in straight sets at Indian Wells. Osaka had managed to avenge that loss on grass at ‘s-Hertogenbosch but was unable to find the same success on the hard courts of Toronto.
Other notable matches
Elsewhere in the tournament, former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka staged a comeback against Greet Minnen, winning 3-6 7-5 6-1 to advance to the next round. No. 4 seed Jelena Ostapenko also survived a scare, overcoming Spain’s Paula Badosa 3-6 7-6(3) 6-2 in the second round. After eliminating the player who won the Washington title last week, Ostapenko will face lucky loser Taylor Townsend, having won their only previous encounter at the 2018 US Open.
No. 8 seed Emma Navarro and No. 11 seed Marta Kostyuk secured their spots in the third round, setting up their first career meeting. Navarro cruised past Magda Linette 6-2 6-4, while Kostyuk battled past her fellow Ukrainian, Elina Svitolina, 6-2 2-6 6-2. Svitolina, who won this title in 2017, couldn’t find a way to repeat her past success.
