Published: August 8, 2026 at 11:31 am
Alexandra Eala is on a roll and on Friday she made it seven-in-a-row with a three-set win over American Caty McNally to reach the fourth round of the National Bank Open in Toronto.
For the third consecutive match, Eala was pushed to a deciding set. And for the third consecutive time, the 20-year-old Filipina emerged on the winning side.
Playing in front of an electric Centre Court crowd packed with Filipino fans waving flags, Eala overcame a slow start and an early break deficit to take the opening set 6-3. The second set was far tighter, with both players exchanging two service breaks before Eala broke again to move ahead 5-4 and serve for the match.
McNally, however, had other ideas. The American responded with a spirited comeback, winning three consecutive games to claim the second set 7-5 and force a decider. Eala quickly regained control, breaking at her first opportunity in the third set to build a 2-0 lead and maintaining that advantage the rest of the way for a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory in 2 hours, 39 minutes.
“I think I survived that one,” Eala said on court after her win. “It was so tough. I wanna thank Caty for a great match and for being a great sport. It’s one of those matches that could’ve gone either way. It was down to details and a little bit of luck. It was a great match.”
This is the longest winning streak of her career, following her maiden singles title on the WTA Tour Driven in Washington earlier this week.
Bencic overcomes Townsend
Awaiting Eala in the fourth round is former champion and No. 12 seed Belinda Bencic, who survived a 3-hour, 24-minute marathon against American Taylor Townsend just minutes before Eala completed her victory.
Belinda Bencic survived a 3-hour, 24-minute marathon against American Taylor Townsend
After surrendering an early 5-2 lead in the opening set, Townsend eventually captured it in a tiebreak on her sixth set point. The pair remained locked in a tight battle throughout the second set, with neither able to secure a service break. This time, Bencic prevailed in the tiebreak to force a deciding set.
Bencic struck first in the third, breaking for a 3-1 lead. Although Townsend leveled at 4-4, the Swiss broke again in the ninth game and served out a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory.
“It was a very big battle, of course,” Bencic said during her on court interview. “I think Taylor plays incredibly tricky and it was a very good match from her. I needed some time to get used to her game and try to find inside my game, play what I can. I felt very frustrated in the first set, but I’m happy that I never gave up and I think that’s the most important.
The fourth-round clash will be the first meeting between Eala and Bencic at tour level. Bencic is seeking a fourth National Bank Open quarterfinal, while Eala will be aiming to reach her third WTA 1000 quarterfinal of the season.
Gauff eases past Sakkari
In a rivalry that has swung back-and-forth over the years, Coco Gauff pushed it further in her favor Friday night in Toronto, defeating No. 29 seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 and withstanding a late push to close out the match in 1 hour and 16 minutes.
“I’m happy with how I played today. Maria is a tough opponent,” Gauff said in her on-court interview. “Her level definitely raised toward the end of that second set. But I’m glad I was able to close it out. That last game was a big test for me.”
It was a test Gauff passed with relative ease. The win moves Gauff to 7-5 against Sakkari on the WTA Tour and marks her fourth consecutive victory in the series — all in straight sets. Sakkari is now the opponent Gauff has beaten most often; she owns six wins each over Belinda Bencic, Ons Jabeur, Karolina Muchova and Aryna Sabalenka.
Coco Gauff defeated No. 29 seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 and withstanding a late push to close out the match in 1 hour and 16 minutes. Pics X
Gauff set the tone early again on Friday as she broke in every return game of the opening set, racing out to a 4-0 lead and sealing the set with an ace a few games later after just 24 minutes. It was the second of her five aces, each seemingly landing at key moments.
But her chops on return ultimately carried the night. Gauff entered the week third on tour in return games won at just over 44%, trailing only Iga Swiatek and Marta Kostyuk among full-time players.
After Sakkari finally held to open the second set, Gauff broke for 2-1 and later earned a fifth break for a 4-1 before consolidating for 5-1. Sakkari kept fighting, cutting the deficit to 5-4 and saving a match point to push the final game to deuce, but Gauff answered with a bold serve-and-volley to earn a second match point. This time, she converted to push herself through to the Round of 16.
There she will face 19-year-old Alina Korneeva, who upset No. 13 seed Iva Jovic earlier Friday in straight sets. It will be their first meeting.
Fernandez downs Andreeva
2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez entered her third-round match against Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva having lost her last seven matches against Top 10 opponents.
She snapped that streak in a big way to match her best-ever result at her country’s signature event, and is primed for a Round of 16 clash with Naomi Osaka.
Leylah Fernandez rouoted Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-4 in 1 hour and 21 minutes
Fernandez routed the No. 5 seed 6-1, 6-4 in 1 hour and 21 minutes to return to not just the Round of 16 in Toronto, a result she previously recorded in Montreal in 2023, but score her first Top 10 victory in more than a year. She last beat a player ranked as highly as Andreeva when she beat then-World No. 4 Jessica Pegula on the way to winning the Mubadala DC Open last year.
Fernandez cruised against an out-of-sorts Andreeva up until 6-1, 5-1, when the 20-year-old came alive to hold from 0-30 in the eighth game and close the game to 5-4. But a key forehand miss at 0-15 on Fernandez’s serve at 5-4 turned what turned out the be the final game around, and the No. 30 seed wrapped up the win three points later.
