National Bank Open Presented by Rogers, Toronto, Canada - WTA 1000

[MargaretMcAleer]

Top Half QFs,

Svitolina (9) vs Alexandrova (16)

Swiatek (7) vs Shnaider (15)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Goodness me what is going on with the No 1 and No 2 players, both playing well below their ranking of late
Rybakina has a good chance if she wins Toronto to be just 4 points behind Sabalenka, who lost yesterday in 3 sets,
Samsonova has a break in the 3rd set, Rybakina hasnt played well since Stuggart this year, to me since Sabalenka got engaged her focus has been somewhere else.
Rybakina's 1st serve percentage at one stage in this match was 39% Meh!

 

[the AntiPusher]

Goodness me what is going on with the No 1 and No 2 players, both playing well below their ranking of late
Rybakina has a good chance if she wins Toronto to be just 4 points behind Sabalenka, who lost yesterday in 3 sets,
Samsonova has a break in the 3rd set, Rybakina hasnt played well since Stuggart this year, to me since Sabalenka got engaged her focus has been somewhere else.

I dont think Rybakina truly cares about the top spot. She isnt built like Coco and Saba who likes the attention of the being so close or on the top position.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I dont think Rybakina truly cares about the top spot. She isnt built like Coco and Saba who likes the attention of the being so close or on the top position.

Forget about being No 1 AP, she is currently playing like Crap, excuse my French, she has the best serve in womens tennis at one stage in this match her 1st serve percentage was at 39%? God Help Me and her fhand has been left in Stuggart
She has had her chances to break Samsonova in the 3rd set but has been way too tentative
Samsonova 2 DFs and hands the break back to Rybakina 3 all
Samsonova now being Somsomova, cant find a 1st serve and her UFE rate has increased

 

[the AntiPusher]

Forget about being No 1 AP, she is currently playing like Crap, excuse my French, she has the best serve in womens tennis at one stage in this match her 1st serve percentage was at 39%? God Help Me and her fhand has been left in Stuggart
She has had her chances to break Samsonova in the 3rd set but has been way too tentative
Samsonova 2 DFs and hands the break back to Rybakina 3 all

MM.. She heard your criticism and has flipped the match.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

MM.. She heard your criticism and has flipped the match.

LOL AP, Samsonova has given her the chance to win the match, too many UFE and multiple DFs

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Stop looking at your racket Rybakina your fhand is just wild
Rybakina had 3 BPs and again has stuffed it
Samsonova saved 3 BPs
4 games all
I must say Samsonova has been good at the net today in this match
Patience is a Virtue Elena, stay in the rally, for a moment longer, when you try to end the point half the time you make a UFE
Rybakina again has 3 MPs as Samsonova again cant hold her serve

Rybakina d Samsonova 64 46 64 A ugly win for Elena still she gets the job done into the QFs

Rybakina will play the winner of Fernandez vs Osaka in the QFs

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Gauff too strong and experienced for the Q Korneeva who did defeat Jovic in her previous match
Gauff 63 and leading 5-1 in the 2nd set
Gauff d Korneeva 63 61

Gauff will play the winner of Eala v Bencic in the QFs

 

[kskate2]

What is Leylah doing? That's 2 balls she let go and had a play on, and both clipped the line. Her judgement is completely off. Both mis-judgements cost her a game in each set and now she's serving to stay alive.

 

[kskate2]

I dont think Rybakina truly cares about the top spot. She isnt built like Coco and Saba who likes the attention of the being so close or on the top position.

She doesn't. She'll eventually get it through the back door because Saba is having a temporary identity crisis

 

[kskate2]

Samsonova is the queen of head cases. Actually it's a tie between her and Alexandrova. I've seen both hold 4-5 MP's, can't close it and eventually give the match away

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sad to say Leylah didnt play like she did the other day, her controlled aggression wasnt there today in her match against Osaka

Osaka d Fernandez 64 64

Osaka will play against Rybakina in her QF match

The way Rybakina has been playing I can see a Osaka win, especially if it is a day match, when Osaka's serve has more 'pop on it' than a night time match. Rybakina's serve was broken 6 times in her match against Samsonova, for someone who has the best serve it womens tennis and was serving at 39% at one stage in the match, she will need to bring it against Osaka, also finding her fhand would be a good idea as well
BTW,
This will be the first time Osaka and Rybakina have met.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Goodness me can someone hold their serve in this match between Bencic and Eala Ugh!

 

[kskate2]

I expected a break-fest in this match because both are great returners but possess really weak serves. Belinda is finally treating these weak serves w/ the contempt they deserve. That's one way to keep the Alex fans quiet, dominate her serve games.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I expected a break-fest in this match because both are great returners but possess really weak serves. Belinda is finally treating these weak serves w/ the contempt they deserve. That's one way to keep the Alex fans quiet, dominate her serve games.

Agree both players have weak serves still the 1st set which Belinda finally won was still ugly
Bencic was the better player in the 2nd set finally returning the weaker serve of Eala with interest
Bencic will now serve for the match at 5-0

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Bencic d Eala 64 60, Bencic too good for Eala, especially in the 2nd set

Bencic will play Gauff in the QFs

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

QFs are now set,
The top half of the draw will play their QF matches on Monday 10th August
Svitolina (9) vs Alexandrova (16) Svitolina leads their H2H 1-0 ( havent played since Berlin grass in 2021)

Swiatek (7) vs Shnaider (15) Swiatek leads their H2H 1-0 on clay 2025 in Madrid, first meeting on a hard court

The bottom half of the draw will play their QF matches Tuesday 11th August,

Gauff (4) vs Bencic (12) Gauff leads their H2H 6-2 won on all surfaces

Rybakina (2) vs Osaka (11) This is their first meeting.

 

[the AntiPusher]

@MargaretMcAleer MM, I cant believe this isnt one of your favorite tennis players.. This has got to be the most unique names in tennis. Storm Hunter

Who Is Loughlin Hunter? Storm Hunter Husband: Age & Wiki - Players Bio

Storm Hunter has been married to her husband, Loughlin Hunter, for over a year. Read till the end to find out more. Loughlin loves cooking and is a culinary expert by profession. He, too, started his trade from a very young age. Storm Hunter was born on August 11, 1994, in Rockhampton...

playersbio.com

 

[the AntiPusher]

I expected a break-fest in this match because both are great returners but possess really weak serves. Belinda is finally treating these weak serves w/ the contempt they deserve. That's one way to keep the Alex fans quiet, dominate her serve games.

I didnt expect Eala to move past Belinda since she had tweaked her ankle/foot the previous match.. I doubt that she plays Cincy but hey when we all were 19-20 years of age, a sprained foot/ankle would only required a few days of RICE. I hope sure does play because it would be a treat for those Midwesterners who recently became some of her new followers.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

@MargaretMcAleer MM, I cant believe this isnt one of your favorite tennis players.. This has got to be the most unique names in tennis. Storm Hunter

Who Is Loughlin Hunter? Storm Hunter Husband: Age & Wiki - Players Bio

Storm Hunter has been married to her husband, Loughlin Hunter, for over a year. Read till the end to find out more. Loughlin loves cooking and is a culinary expert by profession. He, too, started his trade from a very young age. Storm Hunter was born on August 11, 1994, in Rockhampton...

playersbio.com

AP,
It is a great name
Storm made her mark in doubles,
Storm and fellow Aussie John Peers won the Mixed Doubles title at the 2022 USO
Storm and partner Elise Mertens made the womens doubles final in 2023
Storm had a horrid ruptured achilles tendon in 2024, returned to the tour in 2025 and 2026, she continues to play singles and her elite doubles game, where she previously reached World No 1