TORONTO — And then there were none — Canadians playing in singles competition at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, that is.
Leylah Fernandez, the last Canadian remaining, was stopped in the Round of 16 by Japanese star Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-4 Sunday night.
Fernandez played a competitive game, but was ultimately overpowered by the former world No. 1 as Osaka’s baseline game forced Fernandez into committing too many errors. Combined with seven aces from Osaka, the 23-year-old Montreal native simply couldn’t keep up.
Fernandez was, understandably, disappointed in her showing Sunday night.
“I feel like I made some mistakes. And, you know, I felt like I had some opportunities to take advantage of the moment, of being ahead and kind of putting pressure on her, but I didn't do a good job of keeping the ball in,” Fernandez said. “Naomi, she's a champion, she's a tremendous player, she did what she had to do to get the win.”
Despite that disappointment, however, Fernandez revelled in getting the chance to play on home soil, especially because of how different things are now compared to when she first got on tour.
“Yes, there's a little bit of weight, especially when you're playing at home,” Fernandez said when asked if there was more pressure on her as the last Canadian standing before her loss to Osaka. “But at the same time, not really because, unfortunately, when I first started playing, there wasn't that many Canadians on tour. So it's like, a lot of the media was already on us, especially the Canadian media.
“But over the years Canadian tennis has improved, and that has always been our goal, that we want to see more and more Canadians in the draw and doing good. So, you kind of get used to it. You kind of see the progression.
“For myself, it didn't feel like it was that much pressure, I think it was more excitement.”
Despite an overpowering-looking victory, Osaka wasn’t too pleased with her performance against Fernandez.
“I mean, honestly, I don't think I played great today. I think I did the best with how I could do this day,” Osaka said. “I mean, there's a lot that I wish I could have done better. I feel like, honestly, today, coming out, I was really nervous for some reason. I think it's because I didn't know what to expect with the crowd. …
“Overall, I am really happy that I was able to win in two, but I didn't feel spectacular or anything.”
The nervousness Osaka expressed coming into the match likely stems from her experience in Montreal a year ago in the NBO final there against Victoria Mboko, where the crowd was merciless against Osaka, going as far as cheering her misses.
Granted, that was a different city in the context of Osaka facing a Canadian in the final, but that experience from last year appeared to be in Osaka’s mind.
“I think last year wasn't the highlight of my career at all,” she said. “But I think I learned a lot from that. I learned to be a lot more calm and just, yeah, take it point by point, or at least try my best to take it point by point.”
Osaka will next face world No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals after the Kazakhstan star won a hard-fought three-set match against Liudmila Samsonova earlier Sunday.
“It was a very difficult match as always against (Liudmila),” Rybakina said. “I feel like we both didn't start that well. Then it became, really, a fight.
“In the third set I was just trying to focus on each point at a time. … I'm glad I managed to win in the end. I fought until the end.”
With world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka going down on Saturday, Rybakina, the current world No. 2, can come within as few as four points of the top ranking should she win the NBO.
It’s not something she’s thinking about too hard, however.
“(There are) still a lot of matches I’ve got to win,” she said. “I try not to think about the ranking, about the points, and just go one match at a time and see how far I can get.”
In other NBO action, Coco Gauff powered past 19-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals.
The American has been in fine form in Toronto, yet to drop a set in the tournament.
“I thought today was pretty solid. As solid as it can get,” Gauff said. “I know she's young, and one of her first times on this stage, so I'm sure we'll see each other more in the future.
“It was not as easy maybe as the scoreline shows, but I'm happy with how I played today.”
Gauff will next face Belinda Bencic after the Swiss player toppled Filipino sensation Alexandra Eala, 6-4, 6-0 in a match that saw both women combine for five break points converted in the first set alone before Eala just appeared to run out of gas in the second set.
