Alex Eala kept her momentum rolling at the Canadian Open, defeating Caty McNally in three sets to reach the round of 16 in Toronto and stretch her winning streak to seven matches.

The world No. 20 arrived in Canada after claiming her first WTA Tour title at last week’s Washington DC Open. She opened her campaign at this WTA 1000 event with another three-set win, this time over Alycia Parks, before again being pushed the distance by McNally. Eala eventually closed out a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 result to arrange a meeting with 12th seed Belinda Bencic.

After the match, Eala said she was not surprised by the physical and emotional toll of the past two weeks, describing the stretch as demanding. She explained that McNally made the contest difficult and that she had to stay focused on what she could control.

Q: Alex, what a win tonight. An amazing atmosphere out there. It was a really hard-fought battle against a great opponent. Can you just give us your keys to the match today?

ALEX EALA: “Thanks for waiting, guys. I think it was a really tough match today for many reasons. One being also that Caty is such a big fighter. I think she’s got definitely some good weapons and, yeah, it was a tight one.”

She also reflected on the challenge of the last fortnight, saying the matches have brought different tests each time and that she has felt the strain of everything that has come with the run. Even so, she said she was proud of how she handled herself on court.

Eala was asked about a brief ankle issue in the second set. She said she rolled it after a forehand, called the physio, and was relieved to learn there was nothing serious. She added that her team would help her recover as she looks ahead to the next round.

Her comments on Bencic were clear as well. Eala said she was “super excited” to face her for the first time and noted Bencic’s accomplishments in tennis, including an Olympic medal she remembered watching.

With another hard-earned win, Eala now turns to a fresh challenge in Toronto, carrying both confidence and fatigue into her next match.

Alex Eala’s surge has become one of tennis’ most compelling storylines, and the Filipina has now added another major milestone after winning her first WTA Tour title in Washington.

Her path through the American capital was demanding from the start. Eala moved past Olympic champion Wang Xinyu, defending Washington champion Leylah Fernandez, Elina Svitolina and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka before defeating Jessica Pegula in the final. The result drew an enthusiastic response from supporters in the Philippines, and she quickly followed it by winning her opening match at the Canadian Open in front of a lively crowd in Toronto.

That momentum has lifted her into the top 20 of the WTA Rankings for the first time in her career, and the weeks ahead could bring even more progress. With relatively few ranking points to defend in the near term, Eala has a clear opening to climb further if her current form continues.

A place in the top 10 would be a major leap, but it would require a sustained run across the next three events. Her points total has moved just beyond the 2,100 mark, yet reaching that elite tier would mean nearly doubling it. That would likely demand deep runs in Toronto and Cincinnati, plus strong progress at the US Open. In theory, winning all three events could take her to 4,000 points, though that is not a realistic expectation at this stage of her career.

A top 15 finish is a more practical target. Eala would need around 500 to 600 more points, which could come through several wins in Canada and Cincinnati, along with more success at the US Open. The Grand Slams remain the biggest source of ranking gains, and another strong showing in New York could help her move up five or six places.

If her run cools, Toronto and Cincinnati may still offer the best chance to add points before the US Open. Even in that scenario, she has a strong chance of staying inside the top 20 because she has limited points to defend from the same stretch last year.

Elena Rybakina remains in position to challenge Aryna Sabalenka for the WTA No 1 ranking, but the road to the top looks anything but simple at the Canadian Open.

Sabalenka began her 94th straight week at No 1 on Monday, having taken over the top spot from Iga Swiatek in October 2024. Over the last two seasons, she has established herself as the leading player on the WTA Tour, yet Rybakina has kept the race alive.

The Kazakh had chances to narrow the gap at both the French Open and Wimbledon, but those openings disappeared after a second-round loss at Roland Garros and a third-round exit at the All England Club. Even so, the title picture was still close heading into Toronto, where the margin stood at 494 points before the WTA 1000 event began.

There is an important advantage for Sabalenka in Canada. As the reigning US Open champion, she has no points to defend because she did not play the tournament last year. Rybakina, by contrast, reached the semi-finals in 2025 and therefore dropped 390 points when the current edition started, pushing Sabalenka’s lead out to 886 points.

The Canadian Open is the first event for both players since their Wimbledon setbacks.

After losing in the fourth round against Naomi Osaka, Sabalenka was asked about the No 1 spot and replied: “Oh, this question, guys. I mean, let’s just look at the ranking. Right now I’m world No 1. Level-wise, today I wasn’t world No 1. Yesterday I was world No 1.

“I feel like I just, you know, I don’t even want to think about ranking at this point. I just want to go, get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try to get in better shape (smiling).”

Sabalenka has already collected another 65 points by winning her second-round match against Moyuko Uchijima, leaving her 951 points clear in the Live WTA Rankings while Rybakina still awaits her opener.

Rybakina can still become world No 1 for the first time in her career, but only if she wins the 2026 Canadian Open and Sabalenka exits before the quarter-finals. A title in Toronto is worth 1,000 points, which would be enough for Rybakina to erase the deficit if Sabalenka were to lose in the next two rounds. That outcome would also make her the first player from Kazakhstan to reach No 1 in the world.

Rybakina’s career-high ranking remains No 2, a mark she first reached in March this year after winning the Australian Open and finishing runner-up at the Indian Wells Open.