# Alexandrova Knocks Sabalenka Out of Canadian Open as Norrie Falls in Montreal

> World number one Aryna Sabalenka suffered a shock loss to Ekaterina Alexandrova at the Canadian Open, while Cameron Norrie was eliminated in Montreal.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Tennis · **Published:** 2026-08-09 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/tennis/canadian-open-men-aryna-sabalenka-aura-cameron-norrie-bahara-15321 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Canadian Open, Aryna Sabalenka, Cameron Norrie, Tennis, Iga Swiatek, US Open

World number one Aryna Sabalenka experienced a startling setback in her preparations for her upcoming US Open title defence, suffering an early exit at the Canadian Open in Toronto. On a day of high drama across both the women’s and men’s events, British player Cameron Norrie was also knocked out in the last 16 phase in Montreal.

## Alexandrova Stuns Sabalenka in Marathon Battle
Sabalenka fell to Russian 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in a grueling encounter that spanned nearly two and a half hours, concluding with a scoreline of 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-4. Although the top-ranked Belarusian managed to fight back after losing the opening set to force a deciding third set, her momentum faltered at the most critical juncture. Serving to remain in the contest, Sabalenka committed a costly double fault that handed Alexandrova the match victory.

The result marks another difficult chapter in what has been a frustrating summer campaign for Sabalenka. Since capturing the Miami Open crown in March, she has failed to reach a single tournament final. Her Grand Slam summer was similarly disappointing, featuring a quarter-final elimination at the French Open followed by a last-16 exit at Wimbledon.

Speaking after her memorable win, Alexandrova reflected on her tactical approach during the high-stakes match. "I just tried to play every single point as if it was the last one because with her, you don't [get] a lot of chances during the match," Alexandrova stated. She added that she was super happy that she could win because after the second set, she thought the chance was already past her.

## Shnaider and Swiatek Advance in Toronto
Following her triumph, Alexandrova advances to the quarter-finals where she will compete against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina. Svitolina earned her spot in the top eight by defeating American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

In another major upset in the women's draw, third seed Jessica Pegula endured her first career defeat against Diana Shnaider. The 22-year-old Russian player delivered a remarkably solid performance, finishing strongly in both sets to secure a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Pegula.

Shnaider’s reward is a semi-final showdown against seventh seed Iga Swiatek, who overcame a tumultuous start against 10th seed Marta Kostyuk to win 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. The six-time Grand Slam champion suffered serious service troubles during an opening set that lasted 39 minutes, during which Kostyuk broke her serve four separate times in a shambolic display. Swiatek retreated to the locker room after dropping the first set and returned to the court looking vastly improved, dominating the final two sets to close out the match.

## Norrie Falls to Fils as Darderi Enjoys Espresso in Montreal
Over in the men’s draw held in Montreal, British number two Cameron Norrie missed crucial opportunities during a straight-sets defeat to 18th seed Arthur Fils. Norrie squandered two set-point opportunities before ultimately dropping the match 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) in a contest lasting one hour and 43 minutes. Despite saving three match points in the tense second-set tie-break, the British left-hander saw his serve broken by the Frenchman to end his tournament run.

Fils now moves on to face 19-year-old Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar in the quarter-finals. Jodar produced a notable surprise of his own by eliminating eighth seed Jiri Lehecka with a convincing 6-3, 6-3 win.

Elsewhere in Montreal, Brandon Nakashima and Luciano Darderi both battled through grueling three-set matches to lock in their places in the next round. Nakashima defeated Arthur Rinderknech, while Darderi outlasted Nuno Borges 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. During his physical clash, Italian player Darderi made headlines by taking advantage of a mid-match changeover to drink an espresso before completing his hard-fought victory.

## What this means for you
- **For Tennis Fans:** Surprises at the Canadian Open signal an unpredictable and competitive field heading into the upcoming US Open.
- **For Sports Enthusiasts:** Strong performances from young players highlight a shifting tide and growing depth in professional tennis.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who defeated Aryna Sabalenka at the Canadian Open?
Russian 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-4.

### 2. How did Cameron Norrie fare in Montreal?
Cameron Norrie was defeated by 18th seed Arthur Fils 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) in the last 16.

### 3. How did Iga Swiatek recover in her match against Marta Kostyuk?
After losing the first set 3-6 and visiting the locker room, Swiatek dominated the remaining sets 6-1, 6-2 to secure the win.

### 4. Who will Diana Shnaider play in the semi-finals?
After upsetting Jessica Pegula, Diana Shnaider will face seventh seed Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals.

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