Four-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka suffered a setback ahead of her US Open title defence after losing to Russian 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Toronto fourth round.
Alexandrova defeated the world number one 7-6(7/3), 4-6, 6-4 in a 2hr 29min contest to reach the quarter-finals, where she will face Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina. Svitolina advanced with a 6-2, 6-4 win over American Amanda Anisimova.
Sabalenka fought back after losing the opening set but was unable to complete the comeback. Alexandrova saved two match points in the 10th game of the deciding set before Sabalenka double-faulted on a third opportunity to seal her defeat.
“I was trying to risk as much as possible because it felt like it was the only way to create some chances,” Alexandrova said.
World number three Jessica Pegula was also eliminated after Russian 15th seed Diana Shnaider produced a 6-3, 6-3 victory in 73 minutes. Shnaider will meet seventh seed Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals.
Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion and former world number one, overcame Ukraine’s 10th seed Marta Kostyuk 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. The Polish player saved nine break points across the final two sets without losing serve.
Meanwhile, at the ATP Montreal Masters, 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar continued his impressive run by defeating eighth seed Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-3.
Jodar, who was runner-up in Washington last week, recorded his 33rd win of the season and has now reached the quarter-finals in seven of his last eight tournaments. He will face French 18th seed Arthur Fils, who beat Britain’s Cameron Norrie 6-2, 7-6(10/8).
Italy’s Luciano Darderi also reached the Montreal quarter-finals after overcoming Portugal’s Nuno Borges 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Darderi famously drank an espresso during a changeover as he battled back to secure victory.
He will face American Brandon Nakashima, who defeated France’s Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(7/4), 5-7, 7-5 after their match was delayed for nearly two hours by rain and lightning.
The victory was Nakashima’s first in the round of 16 at a Masters 1000 event. Darderi, meanwhile, secured his 30th win of the season and a tour-leading 10th quarter-final of 2026.
