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

[MargaretMcAleer]

Absolutely look at some of the non big babe GS winners of the past 5 years..Eala is a very talented player who plays smart tennis..Leylah aka Miss Lil Bit almost pulled it off and the girl she lost to did not have a big serve.

Sorry I am not convinced, when you go back to her match with Jess, Jess was making in roads into Eala serve? before she went AWOL a big returner like Saba would have a field day returning Eala's serve
To me she has to improve her 1st serve, her 2nd serve is weak and attackable, she is a smart player, granted, I am still not convinced she has just won her first WTA title at age 21, I am not getting carried away

 

[the AntiPusher]

Sorry I am not convinced, when you go back to her match with Jess, Jess was making in roads into Eala serve? before she went AWOL a big returner like Saba would have a field day returning Eala's serve
To me she has to improve her 1st serve, her 2nd serve is weak and attackable, she is a smart player, granted, I am still not convinced she has just won her first WTA title at age 21, I am not getting carried away

Year	Winner	Runner-Up	Score
2025	Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)	Amanda Anisimova (USA)	6-3, 7-6 (3)
2024	Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)	Jessica Pegula (USA)	7–5, 7–5
2023	Coco Gauff (USA)	Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)	2–6, 6–3, 6–2
2022	Iga Świątek (Poland)	Ons Jabeur (Tunisia)	6–2, 7–6(7–5)
2021	Emma Raducanu (Breat Britain)	Leylah Fernandez (Canada)	6-4, 6-3
2020	Naomi Osaka (Japan)	Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)	1–6, 6–3, 6–3
2019	Bianca Andreescu (Canada)	Serena Williams (USA)	6–3, 7–5
2018	Naomi Osaka (Japan)	Serena Williams (USA)	6–2, 6–4
2017	Sloane Stephens (USA)	Madison Keys (USA)	6–3, 6–0
2016	Angelique Kerber (Germany)	Karolína Plíšková (Czechia)	6–3, 4–6, 6–4
2015	Flavia Pennetta (Italy)	Roberta Vinci (Italy)	7–6(7–4), 6–2

I think Eala's serve is currently on par with at least 7 of the ladies listed on the list, IMO.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Year	Winner	Runner-Up	Score
2025	Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)	Amanda Anisimova (USA)	6-3, 7-6 (3)
2024	Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)	Jessica Pegula (USA)	7–5, 7–5
2023	Coco Gauff (USA)	Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)	2–6, 6–3, 6–2
2022	Iga Świątek (Poland)	Ons Jabeur (Tunisia)	6–2, 7–6(7–5)
2021	Emma Raducanu (Breat Britain)	Leylah Fernandez (Canada)	6-4, 6-3
2020	Naomi Osaka (Japan)	Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)	1–6, 6–3, 6–3
2019	Bianca Andreescu (Canada)	Serena Williams (USA)	6–3, 7–5
2018	Naomi Osaka (Japan)	Serena Williams (USA)	6–2, 6–4
2017	Sloane Stephens (USA)	Madison Keys (USA)	6–3, 6–0
2016	Angelique Kerber (Germany)	Karolína Plíšková (Czechia)	6–3, 4–6, 6–4
2015	Flavia Pennetta (Italy)	Roberta Vinci (Italy)	7–6(7–4), 6–2

I think Eala's serve is currently on par with at least 7 of the ladies listed on the list, IMO.

Well you agreed with me previously she needs more juice on her serve, her 2nd serve is poor and loopy,
My point being a good returner aka Saba will return her serve well
We will have to agree to disagree, I cant see Eala winning a GS any time soon

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Osaka 61 62 vs Mertens, she has had issues with Mertens previously, losing to her on 3 occasions not tonight

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Eala broken serving for the match against Caty back on serve in the 2nd set 5 all
Eala appears to have a foot issue and was seen by the trainer early in the 2nd set
Eala was broken and Caty wins the 2nd set 75, Caty 16 winners to Eala's 8 winners, that was the big difference in the 2nd set
Going 3
Eala has a early break and has been able to keep her lead, Caty has had her chances to break back, her shots have been pushed long
Eala leads 4-2
Good tough hold from Caty saving 2 BPs, she uses her good double volley play in her service game
Eala leads 4-3
Eala will now serve for the match at 5-4
Eala d McNally 63 57 64

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In a match that went for 3 1/2 hours,
Bencic d Townsend 67(5) 76(4) 64

 

[kskate2]

Alex is not ready to win a slam yet. Look at what Jaz did to her serve at Wimby. She returned it w/ purchase and she doesn't have the power of a Saba, Elena or Amanda. She'll probably make R3 or R4, but I suspect any deeper into the 2nd week and she'll face someone who will munch off her serves.

 

[kskate2]

Taylor gave that away at the end. I don't know if it's fitness or a lack of focus, but she climbed all the way back to 4-4 and then went lame.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Taylor gave that away at the end. I don't know if it's fitness or a lack of focus, but she climbed all the way back to 4-4 and then went lame.

I think Bencic will be very happy she gets the day off tomorrow with this format

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Round of 16,

Sabalenka (1) vs Alexandrova (16)
Anisimova (8) vs Svitolina (9)
Pegula (30 vs Shnaider (15)
Swiatek (7) vs Kostyuk (10)
Bencic (12) vs Eala (25)
Gauff (4) vs Q Korneeva
Osaka (11) vs Fernandez (30)
Rybakina (2) vs Samsonova