Canada’s Leylah Fernandez among star-studded NBO field

Leylah Fernandez will have plenty of competition at the National Bank Open.

“Tennis Canada unveiled a star-studded entry list Wednesday, which included the 21-year-old from Laval, Que., for the women’s side of the national tournament set to run Aug. 4 to 12 in Toronto.

Currently ranked No. 25 on the WTA Tour, Fernandez will be joined by world No. 1 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, 2023 US Open singles and 2022 NBO doubles champion Coco Gauff, and back-to-back Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in field that includes all top-10 players — and 43 of 44 overall.

Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., who won the tournament in 2019 to snap Canada’s 50-year drought, received a wild card into the main draw as she continues to work her way back from injury.

The men’s entry list will be unveiled Thursday for the Montreal portion of the event. The tournament’s official draw goes Aug. 3.

The Paris Olympics means this year’s National Bank Open will start and end a day later than usual.

– This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2024.