National Bank Open: Bianca Andreescu out after loss to Zheng

TORONTO –

Canada’s Bianca Andreescu misplaced to China’s Zheng Qinwen 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, as she was eradicated from the Nationwide Financial institution Open on Thursday.

Andreescu, from close by Mississauga, Ont., was the final Canadian enjoying within the ladies’s tennis event.

Felix Auger-Aliassime is the one Canadian left within the males’s occasion in his hometown of Montreal.

Zheng will play Karolína Plíšková of the Czech Republic on Friday within the WTA event’s quarterfinal.

It was the primary time the 53rd ranked Andreescu had performed world No. 51 Zheng.

Andreescu received the 2019 version of the occasion when it was final held in Toronto, incomes the victory after all-time nice Serena Williams retired from the match resulting from harm.

Trailing 5-4 within the first set, Andreescu dropped a volley effectively out of Zheng’s attain to go up 40-0 within the match’s tenth sport. The sensible play drew loud cheers from the partisan crowd at Sobeys Stadium after which Andreescu’s first ace of the match tied the set 5-5.

The group included Toronto Blue Jays infielders Santiago Espinal and Bo Bichette in addition to Olympic sprinter Andre De Grasse.

A Zheng ace made it 6-5 after which, after a prolonged rally, the Chinese language participant used an overhead smash to win the set 7-5.

Andreescu made probably the most of her house court docket benefit, egging the group on after essential factors within the second set.

She pumped her fist and yelled after Zheng’s return on sport level was effectively previous the baseline. Then Andreescu threw her fingers up, encouraging followers to cheer when Zheng’s return was lengthy on set level.

That momentum didn’t carry into the third set, with Andreescu rapidly falling behind 3-1.

Though Andreescu received a sport level, incomes her chants of “Let’s go Bi-bi!” she gave up three break factors as Zheng took a 4-2 lead. A tough forehand smash to the other court docket by Zheng added to that benefit.

Zheng put the match away on a double break level when Andreescu charged the web and the 19-year-old Chinese language participant put the ball deep however in.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland was shocked by Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 earlier within the day. The unseeded Haddad Maia had already upset Thirteenth-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., on Wednesday.

Haddad Maia will face the winner of the Spherical of 16 match between Belinda Bencic and Garbine Muguruza in a quarterfinal on Friday.

Serving was a difficulty for Swiatek with 9 double faults to Haddad Maia’s one. The highest-ranked participant from Poland mentioned that the swirling gusts within the bowl-shaped stadium have been a difficulty for her.

“Proper now it is arduous to say if it was extra her sport or the wind that basically tousled my first set,” mentioned Swiatek, who was enjoying Haddad Maia for the primary time. “I believe she simply used the circumstances higher than me.

“When she was enjoying with the wind she was enjoying actually sturdy balls and generally I used to be late for them.”

The wind was additionally a consider Coco Gauff’s win within the afternoon. The American moved on to the quarterfinals with an entertaining and error-filled 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4) win over Aryna Sabalenka.

Each gamers struggled with the circumstances at Sobeys Stadium, with Sabalenka committing 18 double faults and Gauff hitting into 15. Sabalenka had 42 unforced errors total, whereas Gauff had 32.

Gauff will face Romania’s Simona Halep within the quarterfinals. Halep, a two-time Canadian Open champion, defeated Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann 6-2, 7-5 to start the day’s slate of matches at Centre Court docket.

Later, seventh seed Jessica Pegula of america got here again from a set right down to defeat defending champion Camila Giorgi of Italy 3-6, 6-0, 7-5.

Pegula saved match level to tie the third set 5-5, then broke to take the lead on Giorgi’s sixth double fault of the match. Pegula served to like within the ultimate sport to maneuver on to the quarterfinals.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Aug. 11, 2022.