Bencic defeats Eala in straight sets at Canadian Open

Belinda Bencic ended Alexandra Eala's seven-match winning streak with a 6-4, 6-0 victory in the round of 16 at the 2026 Canadian Open on Sunday night at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto. The Swiss player, seeded 12th, defeated the 21-year-old Filipino star in one hour and 13 minutes, advancing to a quarterfinal match against fourth-seeded Coco Gauff.

Bencic broke Eala's serve in the ninth game of the first set to secure it 6-4. She then dominated the second set, winning 72 percent of her first-serve points and breaking Eala's serve multiple times to close out the match decisively. Eala, who had won her first WTA Tour title the previous week in Washington, D.C., struggled with her serve and movement throughout the contest.

Despite the loss, Eala acknowledged the significant support from the Filipino crowd in Toronto. "I am kind of just like a drop in the ocean when it comes to Filipinos and their pride for their culture and where they come from," she said. "I do a lot to represent my country, and I'm very proud of it. But the stadium was full of people who do the same thing."

Bencic, 29, showed sportsmanship in her post-match comments, thanking the crowd. "I know most of you guys were...