News sports tennis Canadian Open 2026: Elena Rybakina Avoids Upset; Coco Gauff And Naomi Osaka Enter Quarters
Last Updated:August 10, 2026, 08:22 IST
Elena Rybakina will next face Naomi Osaka in the quarterfinals.
Elena Rybakina bounced back from 0-3 down in the third set. (AP Photo)
Elena Rybakina fought back from the brink to reach the Canadian Open quarterfinals in Toronto on Sunday, while Coco Gauff advanced in far more comfortable fashion. The world No. 2 looked in serious trouble against Liudmila Samsonova after falling 0-3 and two breaks down in the deciding set.
However, Rybakina mounted a remarkable comeback to prevail 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
The Kazakh will next meet four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who ended the run of Canadian Leylah Fernandez with a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
Gauff, meanwhile, had little difficulty against Russian teenage qualifier Alina Korneeva, winning 6-3, 6-1 to book her first Canadian Open quarterfinal appearance since 2023.
The fourth-ranked American will face 14th-ranked Belinda Bencic, who dispatched 20th-ranked Alexandra Eala 6-4, 6-0 in 73 minutes.
Eala, from the Philippines, had won her first WTA title in Washington last Monday.
“My main focus today was let me try and close it out,” said Gauff, who has not dropped a set in Canada.
“Probably not the way I should be thinking but it worked today.
“I’m proud of how the last three matches have gone and just knowing if I have to go the distance I’m ready, but obviously would prefer to cut it short if I can.”
Osaka secured her place in the quarterfinals by breaking Fernandez in the seventh game of both sets and completing the win in 82 minutes.
“It was all pretty good for me,” the 13th-ranked Osaka said. “She has a great attitude. She’s consistent and she will fight. She’s kind of like a bulldog.”
Osaka, who has never played Rybakina, said the quality of her groundstrokes would be particularly important in the next round.
“When I feel comfortable or at least confident in myself knowing I can run things down, I loosen up a lot,” Osaka said.
“I was catching my service toss a couple times. Hopefully in the next match I don’t do that as often.
“I need to be confident in myself, execute what I can and at the end of the day just try my best and whatever happens, happens.”
Bencic, meanwhile, extended her strong record against left-handed players by beating Eala in 73 minutes.
The Swiss connected on 64.4% of her first serves and won 72.4% of those points, earning her 10th consecutive victory against a left-handed opponent.
“I hate to play against lefties so I’m surprised by this statistic,” Bencic said. “Very tricky.
“Maybe helped me I played a lefty the round before against Taylor Townsend. I got used to the serve a little bit. I wish I was a lefty too.”
With AFP Inputs
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Feroz Khan
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
First Published:
August 10, 2026, 08:22 IST
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