TORONTO — Kayla Cross saw her National Bank Open quest come to an end Wednesday. The Canadian tennis player fell 7-6 (2), 6-3 to Ann Li of the United States in second-round action. Cross fired three aces across the one-hour 27-minute match, but saved just three of seven break points. The 21-year-old from London, Ont., shocked the US$7.4-million tournament Monday by upsetting Britain’s Katie Boulter 7-6 (3), 7-5 to earn a first WTA victory in just her third match. Cross, ranked 177th on tour, was the seventh of eight Canadians eliminated from the women’s draw at the home-soil tournament, including Katherine Sebov, Rebecca Marino and 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu. Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que. — the only seeded Canadian in Toronto at No. 30 — was set to begin her NBO campaign later Wednesday with a second-round match against Mexico’s Renata Zarazua on centre court at Sobeys Stadium. Seeded players advancing Wednesday included No. 2 Elena Rybakina, No. 3 Jessica Pegula, No. 4 Coco Gauff, No. 5 Mirra Andreeva, No. 12 Belinda Bencic, No. 13 Iva Jovic and No. 29 Maria Sakkari. Alina Korneeva upset No. 23 Emma Navarro, while Taylor Townsend moved on past No. 21 Marie Bouzkova. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka won her second-round opener Tuesday night in the four-time Grand Slam winner’s return to action after disappointing results at the French Open and Wimbledon. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2026. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
