The second week of the 2026 National Bank Open turns sharply toward the round of 16, with both host cities set for a defining weekend. Montreal’s men and Toronto’s women are now at the point where every match can reshape the draw and reveal who is truly ready for a deep run.
The next two days will split the spotlight between the two tournaments, with round-of-16 matches scheduled for Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9, 2026. By the time the weekend ends, only eight players and eight players in the women’s field will remain in each draw.
The event has already delivered enough surprises to make the path forward far less predictable than many expected. Montreal has lost several of its biggest names, while Toronto continues to feature the game’s leading women and a strong Canadian storyline through Leylah Fernandez.
How the Weekend Schedule Works
The round of 16 will unfold across two straight days, with both cities running full sessions of singles action. In Montreal, daytime play on the main court begins at 12:30 p.m., and evening sessions start at 6:00 p.m.. Toronto follows a similar pattern, with afternoon starts at 12:30 p.m. and night sessions opening at 7:00 p.m..
Because match lengths can vary widely, the official order of play is usually confirmed the day before each session. That makes the weekend plan flexible, especially when a long three-setter pushes later matches deeper into the evening.
The players who win on Saturday and Sunday will move into the quarterfinals, which are set for Monday and Tuesday. In practical terms, this weekend is the bridge between early chaos and the final contenders.
- The men’s draw in Montreal has become wide open after several major upsets and withdrawals.
- The women’s draw in Toronto still has most of its top seeds alive, which gives it a more familiar shape.
- Canadian fans will be watching closely for Leylah Fernandez, the last local player left in singles.
- Both events now enter the stage where experience, physical recovery, and composure matter as much as raw talent.
Montreal: A Draw That No Longer Looks Familiar
Montreal has already shed a remarkable number of marquee players, and that has changed the entire feel of the tournament. Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Andrey Rublev were all knocked out in their opening matches, while Félix Auger-Aliassime withdrew because of a back injury.
That early collapse of the top end has turned the men’s event into one of the most open Masters 1000 draws of the season. By the end of the second round, six of the top ten seeds were already out, leaving a field that suddenly rewards momentum more than reputation.
Ben Shelton remains one of the most obvious names to watch. The defending champion opened with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Jenson Brooksby, using his first serve and aggressive patterns to control the pace. On a faster hard court, that kind of game can quickly become a serious weapon.
Casper Ruud also looks well positioned to benefit from the uncertainty. He handled Juan Manuel Cerúndolo 6-1, 6-2 in his first match and enters the weekend with growing confidence. Although Ruud is best known for clay-court success, his hard-court experience gives him a real chance to keep advancing in a draw that has stopped looking conventional.
Who Has the Best Path Forward in the Men’s Event?
For Shelton, the question is no longer whether he can surprise the field. After winning the 2025 National Bank Open, he arrives with expectations that are much heavier than they were a year ago. He has become the player many others are now chasing.
His title defense looks more manageable on paper because of the early exits around him, but the same openness that helps him also creates room for dangerous floaters. A player like Shelton can dominate quickly, yet he can also run into trouble if his timing dips and his shot selection becomes rushed.
Ruud’s case is a little different. He tends to win through discipline, depth, and point construction rather than sheer explosiveness. That style can be especially useful late in a tournament, when legs are tired and margins become smaller.
The remaining field also gives younger and less established players a real opportunity. The draw no longer belongs to the highest-ranked names, and that has created a scenario where confidence gained from one upset can carry all the way into the final weekend.
The Young Contenders Who Have Changed the Conversation
One of the most impressive early performances came from João Fonseca, who upset Stefanos Tsitsipas in a match that confirmed his growing status as a threat on the ATP Tour. The Brazilian already plays with the power and conviction of a much older player, and he has shown that he can handle pressure in front of a large crowd.
Arthur Fils also remains in the mix after defeating Zachary Svajda in three sets. His athleticism and court coverage make him a difficult opponent on fast hard courts, where players need to defend well and transition from defense to attack without hesitation.
Tallon Griekspoor may have produced the most striking result of all by beating Zverev after dropping the opening set. A 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 comeback against the tournament’s top seed changes how opponents view him, because a win like that can erase doubt in a hurry.
These performances matter because open draws often become a proving ground. Once a lower-seeded player beats someone elite, the rest of the field has to treat him differently, and that can create a genuine snowball effect over the next round or two.
Toronto: The Favorites Are Still Standing
The women’s event in Toronto has followed a more expected script so far, with the top names surviving the opening rounds. Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, and Mirra Andreeva all moved forward, which gives the draw a much more stable look than Montreal’s.
Sabalenka still appears to be the player everyone else must beat. She began with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Moyuka Uchijima and extended her winning streak on hard courts to 13 matches. Her power from the baseline and her ability to end points quickly make her especially dangerous in Toronto’s quick conditions.
That opening win also matters for the ranking race. A strong tournament would help her protect the world No. 1 position, so every match carries both competitive and symbolic value.
Rybakina, the second seed, advanced in more complicated fashion. She needed three sets to get past Daria Kasatkina, eventually winning 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in 2 hours and 33 minutes. The match highlighted her full range: huge offense on one side, and occasional error streaks on the other.
Why Sabalenka, Rybakina, Gauff, and Pegula Still Matter Most
Sabalenka’s margin for error is often small, but her level on hard courts remains elite. When her serve lands cleanly and her first-strike game is firing, she can remove rhythm from an opponent before a match truly settles.
Rybakina’s path is more complicated because her level can swing within the same set. She struck 58 winners and 58 unforced errors against Kasatkina, which tells the story clearly: her ceiling is enormous, but her control must improve if she wants to win the title.
Gauff opened with a 6-2, 7-5 win over qualifier Kayla Day. The match was not always smooth, but her movement and defensive range helped her claim the important points. Against aggressive hitters, that kind of coverage can become a match-winning edge.
Pegula was forced to fight from behind before turning her first match around. She dropped the opening set to Magdalena Frech, then closed with authority for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 win. Given her recent success in Canada, she remains one of the most reliable players in this section of the draw.
Mirra Andreeva and Leylah Fernandez Add a Different Kind of Pressure
Andreeva may have delivered the clearest statement of the first rounds. She dismantled Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-2 in just 54 minutes, showing the kind of maturity that rarely appears so early in a career. Even at 19, she already looks comfortable changing pace, reading patterns, and absorbing pressure.
That kind of all-court intelligence travels well to faster surfaces. After proving herself on clay with a Grand Slam breakthrough, she now has a chance to show that her game can translate to hard courts too.
Fernandez carries a different burden in Toronto. She became the last Canadian remaining in singles after beating Renata Zarazúa 6-2, 6-2, a result built on aggressive returning and steady serving. She broke serve five times and never allowed the match to drift away from her.
Her next challenge is Elise Mertens, a veteran who can extend rallies and frustrate opponents who try to rush. Fernandez will need to stay assertive, because her best results usually come when she takes time away from the other player rather than waiting for the rally to turn in her favor.
How to Follow the Tournament Through the Weekend
Canadian viewers can follow the event through Sportsnet, which carries coverage from both Montreal and Toronto throughout the tournament. The matches are also available through the network’s digital platforms, giving fans multiple ways to keep up with the action.
TVA Sports provides the French-language broadcast coverage in Canada and also follows the two-city event closely. As always, the final match order can shift depending on how long earlier contests last, so checking the official schedule before each session is the safest approach.
What This Weekend Could Decide
The round of 16 should do more than narrow the field. It will also define which players are truly equipped to handle the pressure of the closing stages.
In Montreal, the opening chaos has created opportunities for Shelton, Ruud, Fonseca, Fils, and Griekspoor to push deeper than many pre-tournament forecasts suggested. In Toronto, the stronger surviving group of Sabalenka, Rybakina, Pegula, Gauff, and Andreeva is setting up a higher-level battle for the title.
For Canadian fans, Fernandez is now the main local focus, and her match against Mertens may determine whether the weekend still has a hometown storyline attached to it. Her run is also the final remaining chance for a Canadian presence in singles after injuries and early losses removed the other options.
By Sunday night, the event will have a much clearer shape. The field will be cut to eight in each draw, and the title picture in both Montreal and Toronto should look far sharper than it does right now.