Osaka, Marino, and Stakusic awarded wild cards for National Bank Open

Naomi Osaka, Rebecca Marino and Marina Stakusic will compete in the National Bank Open presented by Rogers after receiving main draw wild cards Wednesday.

Osaka, who has won four Grand Slam titles, is 102nd in the WTA rankings after taking 15 months off from the tour for maternity leave and returning in January.

Marino and Stakusic helped Canada capture the Billie Jean King Cup last year.

The Vancouver native Marino is ranked 151st while Stakusic, from Toronto, is 157th.

Three Canadians also received qualifying wild cards. Montreal’s Eugenie Bouchard and Carson Branstine plus Toronto’s Katherine Sebov will look to reach the main draw Aug. 4-5.

The National Bank Open women’s tournament runs Aug 4-12 at Toronto’s Sobeys Stadium. The men’s event takes place Aug. 3-12 at Montreal’s IGA Stadium.

The National Bank Open, formerly known as the Rogers Cup, is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world. This year, three talented players have been awarded wild card entries into the tournament: Naomi Osaka, Rebecca Marino, and Jovana Stakusic.

Naomi Osaka, a former world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion, is set to make her return to competitive tennis at the National Bank Open. The Japanese superstar has been taking some time away from the sport to focus on her mental health, but she is now ready to make her comeback. Osaka’s powerful game and fierce competitiveness make her a force to be reckoned with on the court, and fans are eagerly anticipating her return.

Rebecca Marino, a Canadian player who has been making waves on the WTA Tour this year, has also been awarded a wild card entry into the National Bank Open. Marino, who reached a career-high ranking of 38 earlier this year, has been in impressive form and will be looking to continue her strong run of results at her home tournament. The 30-year-old has shown that she has the game to compete with the best in the world, and she will be hoping to make a deep run in front of her home crowd.

Jovana Stakusic, a rising star from Serbia, rounds out the trio of wild card recipients for the National Bank Open. The 19-year-old has been making a name for herself on the ITF circuit and will be looking to test herself against some of the top players in the world at the prestigious tournament. Stakusic’s aggressive playing style and never-say-die attitude have already earned her plenty of fans, and she will be hoping to make a splash in her debut appearance at the National Bank Open.

With Osaka, Marino, and Stakusic all set to compete at the National Bank Open, tennis fans can look forward to some exciting matches and thrilling moments. Whether it’s Osaka’s powerful groundstrokes, Marino’s never-say-die attitude, or Stakusic’s fearless play, there will be plenty of talent on display at this year’s tournament. Make sure to tune in and catch all the action as these three players look to make their mark on the National Bank Open.