The quarterfinal race at the 2026 National Bank Open is taking shape fast, with the men’s draw in Montreal looking wide open and the women’s field in Toronto still packed with heavy hitters. By the end of the weekend, only eight players and eight players in the women’s bracket will remain in contention for the title.
Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9 will decide who moves on. The combination of early upsets, local pressure, and several title favorites still standing has made this one of the most compelling stages of the tournament.
What the weekend schedule looks like
The round of 16 will be split across two days, with both cities hosting key matches on Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9, 2026.
In Montreal, the action will be played at IGA Stadium. Day sessions on the main court are set for 12:30 p.m., while evening sessions begin at 6:00 p.m.. In Toronto, day sessions also start at 12:30 p.m., and night sessions are scheduled for 7:00 p.m..
Each venue will stage eight singles matches over the two days. The winners advance to the quarterfinals, which are scheduled for Monday, August 10, and Tuesday, August 11.
Because match lengths can alter the order of play, the daily schedule is typically finalized the day before each session.
Montreal has become a draw without a clear front-runner
The men’s event lost several of its biggest names early, and that has completely changed the tone of the tournament.
Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Andrey Rublev were all beaten in their opening matches. Félix Auger-Aliassime, the second seed, withdrew because of a back injury. Before the second round even ended, six of the top 10 seeds were already out.
That kind of shake-up leaves room for players who arrived in good form and with less pressure on their shoulders.
- Ben Shelton remains one of the central names to watch after opening with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Jenson Brooksby.
- Casper Ruud looked sharp in a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Juan Manuel Cerúndolo.
- João Fonseca turned heads by eliminating Stefanos Tsitsipas in a tense match.
- Arthur Fils survived a three-set test against Zachary Svajda.
- Tallon Griekspoor produced one of the tournament’s biggest results by knocking out Zverev.
With so many seeds gone, Montreal has turned into a tournament where momentum may matter more than ranking.
Shelton’s title defense suddenly feels realistic
Ben Shelton enters this stage as the defending champion, which naturally makes him one of the main storylines on the men’s side.
He captured the 2025 title to claim the first Masters 1000 trophy of his career, and that breakthrough gave him a new level of credibility against top opposition. His serve, first-strike power, and willingness to attack early in rallies are all well suited to fast hard courts.
This year, the path may be even friendlier than expected. With Zverev, Medvedev, and Fritz already eliminated, Shelton no longer has to navigate the kind of crowded top-half that usually makes a title defense difficult.
That said, the American still has to manage the moments when his aggression becomes rushed. If he keeps his focus on shot selection as much as on pace, he has a strong chance to push deep again.
Why the younger challengers are gaining attention
The biggest beneficiaries of the chaotic men’s draw are the rising players who have already shown they can beat elite opponents.
Fonseca’s win over Tsitsipas was especially noteworthy because it came in a competitive setting against a seasoned star. The Brazilian’s power and confidence make him dangerous in any fast-paced match, and the Montreal crowd has already taken notice.
Fils also looks like a real quarterfinal threat. His athleticism, movement, and ability to absorb and redirect pace give him a style that can bother nearly anyone on hard courts. Griekspoor, meanwhile, has already proven he can handle a top seed under pressure, and that kind of result often changes a player’s outlook for the rest of the week.
For all three, the challenge now is consistency. One upset can happen in a flash; stringing together several wins is what turns a hot week into a true breakthrough.
Toronto’s top women are still moving forward
The women’s draw has been more orderly so far, with the leading contenders mostly holding their ground.
Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, and Mirra Andreeva all won their opening matches and advanced into the third round. That means Toronto still has plenty of star power left as the tournament reaches its most important weekend phase.
Sabalenka is still the most imposing presence in the field. She opened with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Moyuka Uchijima and extended her hard-court winning streak to 13 matches. Her combination of power and serving depth is especially effective in Toronto’s quicker conditions.
Her ranking position also adds extra weight to each match. A strong run would help protect her place at world No. 1, which gives every round a little more significance.
Rybakina, Gauff, Pegula, and Andreeva each bring a different danger
Elena Rybakina advanced with a three-set win over Daria Kasatkina, but the match also showed how uneven her level can be when the rhythm is off.
She finished the contest 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 after 2 hours and 33 minutes, and the numbers reflected both her upside and her volatility. She struck 58 winners, but she also committed 58 unforced errors. If her serving patterns settle down, she remains one of the toughest players in the field to confront.
Coco Gauff started with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over qualifier Kayla Day. She did not dominate every exchange, but her defense and quickness made the difference when the match tightened. Gauff often wins by making opponents hit one extra ball, and that skill remains a major advantage on any hard court.
Jessica Pegula had to work even harder. After dropping the first set to Magdalena Frech, she responded with a confident surge and eventually won 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. Her record in Canada makes her especially dangerous, since she has already won the event in both 2023 and 2024.
Mirra Andreeva produced the most efficient performance of that group, dismissing former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-2 in just 54 minutes. At only 19, she is already showing the kind of tactical maturity that usually belongs to players much further along in their careers.
Her early command of the hard courts is important because it suggests her game is no longer limited to clay success. If she keeps returning so cleanly and changing pace so effectively, she can challenge anyone in Toronto.
Canada’s hopes now rest with Leylah Fernandez
Leylah Fernandez has become the last Canadian left in singles after defeating Renata Zarazúa.
She handled that match with authority, winning 6-2, 6-2 in front of the home crowd on center court. Fernandez was broken only once and earned five breaks of serve herself, which made the scoreline look as comfortable as the match felt.
Her next challenge is Elise Mertens, a veteran who is capable of extending rallies and turning matches into physical tests. That means Fernandez will need to stay assertive and avoid letting points drift into the Belgian’s preferred rhythm.
When Fernandez takes the ball early and uses her forehand to move opponents around, she is at her best. The pressure is obvious, though, because she entered the event as the lone Canadian still standing in singles even before her first match was played.
How fans can follow the tournament
Sportsnet and TVA Sports are the official Canadian broadcasters for the National Bank Open.
Both networks are carrying coverage from Montreal and Toronto, and their digital platforms also provide access to the matches throughout the event.
Because weather delays and match duration can affect the order of play, checking the updated schedule before each session is the safest way to avoid missing the biggest contests.
The weekend should reveal whether Montreal’s chaos produces a surprise finalist or whether a more established name like Shelton or Ruud regains control. In Toronto, the focus is on whether Sabalenka, Rybakina, Gauff, Pegula, or Andreeva can turn strong starts into title-level momentum.
For Canadian fans, Fernandez remains the clearest emotional anchor, and her progress is likely to define the home-country narrative as the tournament moves toward the quarterfinals.