Toronto: Filipino tennis star Alex Eala ended her campaign at the Canadian Open after bowing to Swiss No. 12 Belinda Bencic, 4-6, 0-6, Monday in Toronto.
According to Philippines News Agency, Bencic, who won the tournament in 2015, advanced to the quarterfinals where she will meet American No. 4 Coco Gauff. Gauff secured her spot by defeating Alina Korneeva 6-3, 6-1. Eala, who reached a career-best No. 20 in the WTA singles ranking after winning the Mubadala DC Open last week, had earlier defeated Americans Alycia Parks and Cathy Mcnally to reach the fourth round.
Meanwhile, top seed and third seed Jessica Pegula also exited the WTA 1000 event. The world's No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka suffered a defeat to 19th seed Ekaterina Alexandreva, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 4-6, while Pegula lost to 15th seed Diana Shnaider, 3-6, 3-6. Alexandreva will next face Ukrainian No. 9 seed Elina Svitolina, who ousted American No. 8 seed Amanda Anisimova, 6-2, 6-4.
Shnaider, on the other hand, will meet Polish No. 7 Iga Swiatek, who prevailed over Ukrainian No. 10 Marta Kostyuk, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. Second seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan survived Liudmila Samsonova, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, to advance against Japanese No. 11 Naomi Osaka, who pulled off a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Canadian No. 30 Leylah Fernandez.
