The National Bank Open, proudly presented by Rogers, is set to ignite its revamped schedule with main-draw excitement this Sunday.
This year’s tournament spans 12 thrilling days featuring 96 competitors on both the women’s and men’s sides, offering an additional round for the women in Montreal and the men in Toronto.
The top 32 seeds are guaranteed a bye in the first round, meaning they won’t step onto the court until Tuesday.
Nevertheless, the opening day promises a wealth of captivating matches, with Canadian talents taking the spotlight.
Let’s dive into what the inaugural day has in store!
Can Andreescu Reclaim Her Canadian Glory?
This season, Bianca Andreescu’s comeback from injury has been anything but smooth sailing.
The 2019 U.S. Open champion was unable to qualify for both the French Open and Wimbledon, ending the season with an even 8-8 record.
Currently ranked No. 188 after several lengthy absences, Andreescu has historically found her footing on hard courts, where she first earned glory.
Just weeks before her unforgettable U.S. Open victory, the Mississauga, Ontario native triumphed at the National Bank Open on home turf in Toronto.
She’s set for a daunting challenge as she faces Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday night. The Czech star boasts two Grand Slam titles, including her 2022 Wimbledon win, and like Andreescu, she began her season dealing with injuries.
This will be their first matchup since 2017, when Krejcikova claimed victory in a qualifying event held in Austria.
Andreescu experienced an abrupt exit from the 2024 NBO last year, falling to Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko in a dramatic first-round encounter.
Vasek Pospisil has served as a cornerstone of Canadian tennis for over a decade.
His finest moments came during Davis Cup play, including the nation’s first championship in 2022.
At 35 years old, Pospisil, who once reached a career-high ranking of No. 25 and captured a Wimbledon doubles title alongside American Jack Sock, has announced that this tournament will mark his retirement.
Pospisil, who has seen limited action this season, will compete against a qualifier on Sunday night.
Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko is enjoying a breakout year, soaring into the top 100 with numerous victories at lower-tier tournaments and a commendable third-round run at the French Open.
The dynamic 18-year-old appears poised to become a Grand Slam contender, earning accolades from stars such as Coco Gauff and Paula Badosa earlier this year.
Ranked 88th, Mboko is set to play the featured afternoon match in Montreal against No. 76 Kimberly Birrell of Australia.
Don’t blink—you might miss a pivotal moment in Dan Martin’s career.
The Canadian was battling through a pair of tiebreakers with Japanese veteran Taro Daniel and was locked at 5-5 (with a 40-40 score) in the deciding set when a storm interrupted their match on Saturday, halting play.
The match will resume on center court Saturday morning, with a spot in the main draw at stake. Martin is currently ranked 554th worldwide.
The contest between Martin and Daniel is one of three qualifying matches that must conclude before all qualifiers can join the main draw.
BROADCAST SCHEDULE (All times ET)
Women’s: 11 a.m. (Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet+); 7 p.m. (Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+)
Men’s: 11 a.m. (Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+); 7 p.m. (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+)
MATCH SCHEDULE (All times ET)
Centre Court (starts at 11 a.m.)
Jaqueline Cristian (Romania) vs. [WC] Marina Stakusic (Canada)
Marketa Vondrousova (Czechia) vs. Alexandra Eala (Philippines)
Kimberly Birrell (Australia) vs. [WC] Victoria Mboko (Canada)
Not before 7 p.m.: [WC] Bianca Andreescu (Canada) vs. Barbora Krejcikova (Czechia)
[Q] Elsa Jacquemot (France) vs. [WC] R. Marino (Canada)
Rogers Court (starts at 11 a.m.)
Suzan Lamens (Netherlands) vs. Polina Kudermetova (Russia)
Zhu Lin (China) vs. [Q] Varvara Gracheva (France)
[Q] Cristina Bucsa (Spain) vs. Veronika Kudermetova (Russia)
Not before 6 p.m.: Danielle Collins (U.S.) vs. [Q] Viktoriya Tomova (Bulgaria)
[Q] Whitney Osuigwe (U.S.) vs. Hailey Baptiste (U.S.)
Court 5 (starts at 11 a.m.)
[Q] Katie Volynets (U.S.) vs. [Q] Aoi Ito (Japan)
[Q] Louisa Chirico (U.S.) vs. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (Spain)
[Q] Bernarda Pera (U.S.) vs. Camila Osorio (Colombia)
Centre Court (starts at 10:30 a.m.)
Qualifying: Conclusion of Taro Daniel (Japan) vs. Dan Martin (Canada), 7-6 (0), 6-7 (0), 5-5
Not before 12:30 p.m.: Sebastian Ofner (Austria) vs. Reilly Opelka (U.S.)
Not before 2:30 p.m.: Gael Monfils (France) vs. qualifier
Not before 7 p.m.: Qualifier vs. [WC] Vasek Pospisil (Canada)
Qualifier vs. Joao Fonseca (Brazil)
Motorola Razr Grandstand Court (starts at 11 a.m.)
Adam Walton (Australia) vs. Benjamin Bonzi (France)
[WC] Nicolas Arseneault (Canada) vs. Laslo Djere (Serbia)
Not before 2:30 p.m.: Qualifier vs. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (France)
Not before 5 p.m.: Miomir Kecmanovic (Serbia) vs. Quentin Halys (France)
Juncheng Shang (China) vs. qualifier
Court 1 (starts at 10:30 a.m.)
Qualifying: Conclusion of Alexander Blockx (Belgium) vs. Duje Ajdukovic (Croatia), 3-3
Not before 2:30 p.m.: Qualifier vs. Learner Tien (U.S.)
Qualifier vs. Zizou Bergs (Belgium)
Court 4 (starts at 2:30 p.m.)
Qualifier vs. Jaume Munar (Spain)
Qualifier vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (Argentina)
Court 3 (starts at 10:30 a.m.)
Qualifying: Conclusion of Tristan Schoolkate (Australia) vs. Govind Nanda (U.S.), 6-3
Not before 2:30 p.m.: Jacob Fearnley (Great Britain) vs. qualifier
Roman Safiullin (Russia) vs. qualifier
