TORONTO — Bianca Andreescu was in the ascension with a partisan home crowd pushing her on. The Canadian looking to resurrect a tennis career that has included plenty of high points led her first-round match at the National Bank Open 5-2 in the first set. Andreescu had three chances on serve to pressure Czechia’s Nikola Bartunkova before something drastic happened. The 26-year-old desperately struggling to regain her form was still searching for answers more than 90 minutes following Monday’s crushing result. Andreescu fell 7-5, 6-4 to Bartunkova at Sobeys Stadium in another frustrating early exit from the women’s singles draw. “I wish I knew,” the product of nearby Mississauga, Ont., said of what transpired after finally arriving for her post-match press conference. “I wish I had the answers. I was trying to dissect it.” “It’s tough,” she added. “Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not, but I feel like I’m letting my team down, my family down sometimes, the supporters.” Andreescu, who ended Canada’s half-century drought on the same centre court at the annual showcase in 2019 and entered play No. 174 in the world, had another set-point opportunity leading 5-4 in the first, but Bartunkova again battled back. The WTA’s 42nd-ranked player then broke her fading adversary up 5-4 in the second to take the match in windy conditions on York University’s campus. “I had my opportunities,” said Andreescu, who reached No. 4 on tour in 2019 and was again an NBO wild-card entry in 2026. “That was the theme.” The first Canadian to win a Grand Slam when she captured the U.S. Open on the heels of her NBO win seven years ago, Andreescu also lost in the first round in Toronto in 2024 and dropped out of last year’s Montreal tournament due to injury following an opening-round victory. “It’s just, ‘How do I find that consistency when there are a lot of heightened emotions?’” she said. “Even though I felt like I was pretty calm and collected throughout the match, I think subconsciously there are also a lot of thoughts that might pop in. “The one thing that did help me is the crowd in many moments today, and just hearing a bunch of kids cheer for me. Those moments are everything.” Canadian fans had plenty to cheer about earlier in the day when Kayla Cross picked up her first WTA victory with a 7-6 (3), 7-5 upset of Britain’s Katie Boulter. “Definitely in shock,” said the London, Ont., native, who will play doubles with Andreescu in Toronto. “Still doesn’t really feel real.” Competing in just her third tour match and included at the US$7.4-million event as a wild card, the 21-year-old will face No. 28 seed Ann Li of the United States in the second round. A total of five Canadians hit the court on Toronto’s northern edge after a chunk of Sunday’s schedule was delayed by rain. McCartney Kessler of the U.S. cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Cadence Brace of Oakville, Ont. Carol Zhao of Richmond Hill, Ont., who’s set to retire after this season and was making her 15th appearance at the tournament, started strong against Poland’s Magda Linette, but wound up falling 6-4, 1-6, 4-6. “I’m very grateful,” said Zhao, who is ranked 620th and gave the world No. 68 a tough test. “It really did feel like a blink of an eye.” No. 52 Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey topped Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino, who’s ranked 339th, by a 7-5, 6-4 score in the evening session. Cross fought off four set points in the first and then broke Boulter — ranked No. 69 — at 5-5 in the second before serving out to pick up a memorable victory in front of friends and family. “I got a text message (Sunday) night asking if I wanted to be on centre court,” said Cross, who sports sunglasses during matches. “Obviously said ‘yes’ right away. The game plan going in was try to play my game, trying to go for the shots. “Just live in the moment and be happy out there.” Cross, who bowed out of the NBO’s first round in 2025, entered the tournament ranked 172 after sitting at 262 some 12 months ago. “I checked my phone,” she said. “I think I had like a hundred notifications … a little overwhelmed.” Toronto’s Katherine Sebov topped Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to advance and now faces a Tuesday showdown with No. 10 seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine. Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que. — the only seeded Canadian in the women’s draw at No. 30 — plays her first match Wednesday. Victoria Mboko of Burlington, Ont., who captured last summer’s NBO title at age 18 and currently sits 12th in the world, is out of this year’s tournament with a knee injury. Cross, meanwhile, has a big singles match against Li to ponder, but is also looking forward to hitting the court alongside Andreescu. “Playing with her is an amazing experience, knowing how much she’s accomplished already in tennis and will accomplish in the future,” Cross said. “She came to watch a few games (against Boulter) … I saw her on the side. “That gave me a lot of confidence just to keep swinging.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2026. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
