The National Bank Open reaches a decisive stage this weekend, with the men in Montreal and the women in Toronto fighting for quarterfinal spots. The round of 16 is spread across Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9, and the field is already full of surprises, pressure, and a few clear favorites.
By the time the weekend ends, only eight players in each draw will still be alive. That makes this one of the most important stretches of the tournament, especially with several top seeds already gone and Canadian interest now centered on Leylah Fernandez.
Schedule for the Fourth Round
The round-of-16 matches are set for Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9, 2026. Montreal and Toronto will both host four singles matches per day, with the exact order of play released the day before each session.
In Montreal, center-court action at IGA Stadium begins at 12:30 p.m. for the day session and 6 p.m. at night. Toronto follows a similar rhythm, with daytime matches starting at 12:30 p.m. and evening play at 7 p.m..
The winners move on to the quarterfinals, scheduled for Monday, August 10, and Tuesday, August 11. Because match times can shift with long contests or weather interruptions, fans will want to check the daily schedule before heading in.
Montreal Opens Up After Early Shock Results
The men’s draw in Montreal has become far more open than expected. Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Andrey Rublev all fell in their opening matches, while Félix Auger-Aliassime withdrew because of a back injury. That left the top half of the bracket far less predictable than it looked at the start of the week.
Ben Shelton is one of the biggest names still standing. The defending champion opened with a straight-sets win over Jenson Brooksby, and his serve-plus-first-strike game fits the fast courts well. Casper Ruud is also in position to benefit from the chaos after handling Juan Manuel Cerúndolo with ease in his first match.
This is the kind of setup that can reward discipline more than reputation. Players who survive long rallies, manage pressure, and stay sharp in key games may have a real path to the later rounds.
Who Can Keep the Men’s Run Going?
Shelton arrives as the reigning champion and the most obvious title threat left in the draw. His 2025 triumph gave him his first Masters 1000 title, and that success changed how opponents see him. He is no longer a surprise; he is now a target.
Even so, the American has a clearer route than many expected after the early exits of several top seeds. If he controls his unforced errors and keeps points short when possible, he has the tools to defend his title.
Ruud offers a different challenge. He is known more for clay-court consistency than for hard-court flash, but his recent results show enough all-around growth to keep him in the conversation. In an unsettled section of the bracket, that steadiness matters.
There is also room for younger players to make noise. João Fonseca earned attention by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in a strong opening performance, and Arthur Fils advanced after a three-set win over Zachary Svajda. Tallon Griekspoor, who stunned Zverev, has already shown that one big result can quickly change the tone of a tournament.
Toronto Keeps Its Headliners on Track
The women’s event in Toronto has followed a more expected path, with the biggest names mostly holding serve through the early rounds. Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, and Mirra Andreeva all moved forward and remain central figures in the title race.
Sabalenka remains the player everyone else is chasing. She opened with a comfortable win over Moyuka Uchijima and has now extended her hard-court winning streak to 13 matches. Her power and serve fit the Toronto conditions, and her ranking lead gives every match extra weight.
Rybakina had a tougher start, needing three sets to get past Daria Kasatkina. She produced plenty of winners but also gave away too many errors, which is the main issue she will need to solve if the matches get tighter. Pegula also had to work, dropping the first set before turning things around against Magdalena Frech. Gauff, meanwhile, advanced with a solid win over qualifier Kayla Day and continues to rely on movement and defense to control matches.
Andreeva may have been the most impressive of the group. Her 6-0, 6-2 win over Karolina Pliskova took only 54 minutes and showed how quickly she can take charge when her timing is sharp. At 19, she already plays with unusual calm for such a young contender.
Fernandez Carries the Home Crowd’s Attention
Leylah Fernandez is the last Canadian left in either singles draw, which puts extra attention on every one of her matches. She handled Renata Zarazúa with a clear 6-2, 6-2 win and looked comfortable in front of the Montreal crowd.
Her next test is Elise Mertens, a seasoned opponent who can extend rallies and force a different pace. Fernandez will need to stay aggressive, take the ball early, and use her forehand to open the court if she wants to keep her run alive.
The pressure is obvious, but the opportunity is just as real. With the rest of the Canadian contingent already out, Fernandez now carries the home hopes into one of the weekend’s most watched matches.
What This Weekend Could Decide
The next two days should tell the story of the tournament. Montreal looks volatile enough to reward anyone who can handle the moment, while Toronto still has several top contenders on a collision course for the final rounds.
Shelton, Ruud, Fonseca, Fils, and Griekspoor all have reasons to believe they can make deep runs in the men’s event. On the women’s side, Sabalenka, Rybakina, Pegula, Gauff, and Andreeva remain the names to beat.
For Canadian fans, the focus stays on Fernandez and the hope that she can extend the country’s presence a little longer. The results on Saturday and Sunday will determine which players stay in the title hunt and which ones leave behind the weekend’s biggest opportunity.