Bianca Andreescu will face Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine to kick off the Canadian tennis star’s National Bank Open.
Tennis Canada held the draw for the country’s national championship Saturday for the Toronto-based women’s tournament and the men’s bracket, which goes in Montreal.
Andreescu will be back on the centre court where she won the event as part of a memorable 2019 season that also included her U.S. Open victory.
Top-ranked Canadian Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., will face China’s Zhang Shuai in the first round, which starts Tuesday. Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino is set to take on Poland’s Magda Linette, while Toronto’s Marina Stakusic will meet a qualifier.
The Toronto tournament saw a number of big names withdraw this week for various reasons, including injuries, fatigue and participation at the Paris Olympics. Coming off a bronze-medal performance at the Summer Games, five-time Grand Slam champion and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland is among the players skipping the NBO.
The men’s draw was also held Saturday in Montreal. Hometown favourite Felix Auger-Aliassime — fresh off winning Olympic bronze in mixed doubles alongside Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski — will open his tournament against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.
Canadian tennis stars Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez have discovered their first-round opponents for the upcoming National Bank Open in Montreal.
Andreescu, who is currently ranked 5th in the world, will be facing off against American Jessica Pegula in her opening match. Pegula, ranked 26th in the world, will no doubt provide a tough challenge for Andreescu as she looks to make a strong start to the tournament.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Fernandez will be taking on Czech player Karolina Muchova in her first-round match. Muchova, ranked 22nd in the world, is known for her powerful game and will test Fernandez’s skills on the court.
Both Andreescu and Fernandez have had impressive seasons so far, with Andreescu winning the Miami Open earlier this year and Fernandez making it to the final of the Monterrey Open. Fans will be eagerly anticipating their matches at the National Bank Open as they look to continue their success on home soil.
The National Bank Open, formerly known as the Rogers Cup, is one of the premier tennis tournaments in Canada and attracts some of the top players from around the world. This year’s event will be held in Montreal from August 6th to 15th and promises to be an exciting showcase of talent on the court.
Tennis fans can look forward to watching Andreescu and Fernandez in action as they take on their first-round opponents and compete for glory at the National Bank Open. With their skill and determination, both players have the potential to make a deep run in the tournament and delight Canadian fans with their performances.