Montreal – Suddenly, Rogers proposed the National Bank Open very much for anyone.
No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek’s 7-6 (1), 6-3 lost to No. 16 on Sunday’s 6-3, and in the quarterfinals Monday and Tuesday, there was no top four in the WTA Tour 1000 events.
No. 5 seed Amanda Anisimova stood out in a match against 10th place Elena Svitolina later Sunday to prevent a top five in the quarter.
The highest ranked players beat No. 1, French Open champion Coco Gauff, Wimbledon Champ Swiatek, third and two-time defending NBO champions Jessica Pegula and No. 4 Mirra Andreeva were all removed before the final four days of the game.
Disturbing people opened doors for several quarter-finalists, including 18-year-old Victoria Mboko, who knocked down Gauff and Naomi Osaka.
The Japanese star and four-time Grand Slam champion took a break from the tour in 2023 to become a mother, promoted to her first WTA 1000 or Grand Slam quarterfinal in 19 months and defeated Anastasija Sevastova 6-1, 6-0 on Sunday.
The 49-minute, 25-second game is the second fastest since 2018, 14 seconds longer than the 2023 Montreal final between Pegula and Liudmila Samsonova.
Osaka has been open to her mental health struggles in the past, and she says she is now more relaxed about the end result.
“Honestly, I allowed myself to enjoy it, and I think it’s ironic just because… it’s really hard to describe, but I don’t want it to be bad, it’s weird,” she said.
“I think I just let myself see what my practice is like, like all the other jazz. I’m happy with where my tennis will take me, no matter what happens.”
This does not mean that Osaka will be satisfied.
“I talked to my dad and he said it was just health and happiness that was a form of success. I agree with that, but I want more.”
“… Sure, I want to win the Grand Slam, I certainly want to be in the top ten, but I think I need to speed up my pace and achieve the mini goals and they will eventually become huge goals. I think the quarterfinals here are a step to hopefully reaching the semi-finals and finals, so I’ll try to treat it.”
Meanwhile, Tauson avenged her 6-4, 6-1 in 16 rounds last month at Wimbledon.
Dane will next face Madison Keys sixth place, who beat Karolina Muchova 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the first game on Sunday.
“I think once I’m doing this game, it’s going to relax me,” the American said, with his threat to lose a point. “Just know I’m already a match point. Just knowing I really have to look for it, a little bit unmissed.”
This is the third time that the Americans have won at least one match point. The first time it happened was the 2025 Australian Open vs. Swiatek, and the match key continued to occupy her first career Grand Slam title.
“I think that ideally you won the game and don’t lower the game,” she said with a smile. “But when you have the ability to solve it and figure it out, I think it’s just giving you some confidence. I feel like I’ve had a lot of games so far this season and I probably haven’t played my best tennis ball the whole way. But, in a big moment, I’m able to figure it out, and it definitely gives me some confidence that I can do it anytime.”
Mboko faces Spain’s unseeded Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the second quarterfinals.
Ukraine’s first quarterfinal pit No. 24 Marta Kostyuk against Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina.
