National Bank Open 2026: Upsets and retirements shape Montreal tennis

In the women's draw of the National Bank Open, Canadian wild‑card Katherine Sebov was eliminated in the second round by Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk, leaving Canada with only two remaining singles hopefuls – Leylah Fernandez and Kayla Cross. The tournament also saw top seeds Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina advance to the third round.

The men's competition featured several notable developments. Denis Shapovalov retired in his opening match after an ankle injury, while fellow Canadian Duncan Chan fell to Argentina's Thiago Tirante in a three‑set first‑round battle. Chinese qualifier Juncheng Shang produced a major upset, saving five match points to defeat Russia's Andrey Rublev. Argentine players Thiago Tirante, Sebastián Báez and Juan Manuel Cerúndolo each won their first‑round matches, marking a strong debut for the South American contingent.

Overall, the event delivered a mix of surprising victories, early exits of local favorites, and continued progress for several world‑ranked stars.