The final knockings of the 2024 Canadian Open (National Bank Open/Omnium Banque Nationale) are set with semi-finals the order of the day on Sunday. With the schedule confirmed, our preview looks ahead to the action.
From Montreal which will see two of the semi-finalists play catch up to Toronto where the ties are all set in the semi-finals, a champion will be crowned on Monday going into another busy week in Cincinnati.
Jannik Sinner was defeated in the Last 16 by Andrey Rublev in an ailing display from the World No.1 who was returning amid recent illness struggles. While he got some good match practice in, he will wonder about what could've been albeit heading to Cincinnati earlier and getting ready for that tournament with vital matches is likely the configuration in his head.
Now Rublev continues into the semi-final and it is the only one thus far that is set. He faces off against Matteo Arnaldi who saw off Kei Nishikori and halted his resurgence in the last round after also defeating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina yesterday. Albeit, it is Quarter-Final action which is first on the slate in Montreal.
Sebastian Korda who benefited from Casper Ruud's withdrawal after already beating Taylor Fritz yesterday also got a walkover against Vasek Pospisil in Round One so he has played only two sets of tennis this week. He faces Alexander Zverev who confounded the recent misery for Holger Rune as they finally faced off.
While Hubert Hurkacz plays in the other Quarter-Final. He takes on Alexei Popyrin. The Pole has had a superb week especially given that he was a doubt to play due to injury sustained at Wimbledon. But he has had a run to the Quarter-Finals at least and faces Popyrin who like Arnaldi will look to be the spoiler remaining in the draw to halt the progression of the big names.
20:00 | Popyrin A. | 0 |
Hurkacz H. (4) | 3 | |
20:00 | Korda S. | 0 |
Zverev A. (2) | 0 | |
23:00 | Rublev A. (5) | 1 |
Arnaldi M. | 1 |
Followed by Popyrin/Hurkacz v Korda/Zverev
As was dubbed on social media, the line-up for the latter stages in Toronto was Americans v neutral Russians. Only one of those neutral Russians remain and it is looking likely we may get an American winner.
The first semi-final in particular courts intrigue as Emma Navarro who is eighth seed has bounced back supremely from her Olympic Games disappointment and also her outburst at Qinwen Zheng in the aftermath. She has been well known for stacking up wins and titles and could claim her biggest yet this weekend.
Albeit she faces a player on the rise again in Amanda Anisimova. The former World No.21 at only 22 returned earlier this year after some time away from the sport for mental health reasons and fatigue. It hasn't gone to plan thus far for her with the American not getting the results and running out of protected rankings.
But she has really shown that the game is still very much there for her. She saw off Aryna Sabalenka in a very good match-up for her and one she now leads 6-2 in the Head to Head against the second seed. She also leads her Head to Head with Navarro 1-0 too so perhaps holds the edge based also on resurgence factor.
Then it is the turn of the only Russian left in the draw waiting and that is Diana Shnaider who continues to impress. She saw off Liudmila Samsonova after taking down Coco Gauff and now has the second half of the doubles tandem in her sights.
That being the defending champion, Jessica Pegula who will now be the favourite to join a select group of back-to-back champions in Canada. She would've also completed both halves of the Canadian double as she would've won in both Montreal and Toronto.
Pegula took down Peyton Stearns in the last round 6-4, 7-5 and now takes on Shnaider who continues to grow also amid likely jet lag from playing late at the Olympic Games, she continues to gain ranking points and could yet seal her biggest title in the same week as silver medal success. A player who many see as a top 10 likelihood, she will aim to claim a second top 10 win of the week against Pegula later on Sunday.
19:00 | Navarro E. (8) | 0 |
Anisimova A. | 1 | |
00:00 | Shnaider D. (14) | 0 |
Pegula J. (3) | 0 |