The biggest names at the 2026 National Bank Open continued their strong runs on Day 6, with Grand Slam champions and former tournament winners making their presence felt in the singles draw. Iga Swiatek cruised past Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-1 on Centre Court, winning 11 of 12 games during one dominant stretch to secure her place in the round of 16. Jessica Pegula also impressed, defeating Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4, 6-0 in a rain-delayed match, while world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka advanced with a straight-sets victory over Shuai Zhang, winning 6-3, 6-4.
The doubles competition began with disappointment for several Canadian players. Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Ekaterina Alexandrova fell to Coco Gauff and Caty McNally in the opening round, while wildcard sisters Leylah Annie Fernandez and Bianca Jolie Fernandez were eliminated by Elise Mertens and Diana Shnaider 6-1, 6-2. Fan favourite Alexandra Eala, teaming up with Venus Williams, also exited the tournament after losing their first-round clash against Liudmila Samsonova and Miyu Kato. Check out the full results.
Aryna Sabalenka Overcomes Shuai Zhang to Reach National Bank Open Round of 16
Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the fourth round of the 2026 National Bank Open after beating Shuai Zhang 6-3, 6-4, though the match was much closer than the scoreline suggested. Zhang kept the world No. 1 under pressure throughout, and Sabalenka had to save a break point while serving for the match before winning the final three points to close out the victory. “That was definitely tricky. She played great,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. “It was tough to face when you want to finish the match and go rest. And you know there was the break point. Of course, that’s definitely not easy, and I’m happy that I managed to stay focused and managed to close this match in straight sets.”
The victory improved Sabalenka’s hard-court record to 25-1 this season, with her only loss coming in the Australian Open final. She also became the fastest player to reach 25 hard-court wins in a season since Serena Williams in 2016. While Zhang made only one unforced error and played a steady game, Sabalenka’s aggressive approach proved decisive as she hit 29 winners and won 81% of points behind her first serve.
Sabalenka broke Zhang at key moments in both sets, converting two of three break chances while denying Zhang’s two opportunities. She sealed the match with a forehand winner and a strong volley to set up match point. The top seed will next face No. 16 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round, with Sabalenka leading their head-to-head record 5-4.
Iga Swiatek Cruises Into Canadian Open Fourth Round With Dominant Victory
Iga Swiatek continued her strong run at the Canadian Open, defeating Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-1 in just 66 minutes to secure her place in the next round. The seventh seed quickly found her rhythm after a slow start and was pleased with her performance. “For sure it was a good day, and I’m really happy with the way I played,” Swiatek said after the match. “Even though the first game wasn’t super smooth, I knew I can start from the beginning, and then it went my way and I could find my rhythm.”
Despite Swiatek’s dominance in their recent meetings, Golubic remains a notable opponent in her career as the only player to defeat the Polish star in the opening round of a Grand Slam, a feat she achieved at Wimbledon in 2019 when Swiatek was 18. Swiatek will next take on either Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk or American Madison Keys in Toronto. She is also the final Polish player remaining in the tournament after Maja Chwalińska, Magda Linette, and Magdalena Fręch exited in earlier rounds.
Jessica Pegula Continues Toronto Title Push With Dominant Win Over Rakhimova
Jessica Pegula booked her place in the National Bank Open fourth round after defeating Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4, 6-0 in a dominant performance in Toronto on Thursday. The two-time champion (2023 and 2024) continued her strong run at the tournament and will now face Diana Shnaider in the next round. Pegula has a perfect record against Shnaider, leading their head-to-head 4-0, including a 3-0 advantage on hard courts. Their most recent meeting came in the Charleston quarterfinals in April 2026, where Pegula fought back to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
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