TORONTO: World number one Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula were both upset in fourth-round matches on Saturday at the Toronto Masters.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka suffered a blow to her preparations for a tilt at a third consecutive US Open title, beaten 7-6(7/3), 4-6, 6-4 by Russian 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.
“I wasn’t trying to think about the score or anything like beating number one,” said Alexandrova after ousting the Belarusian in 2hr 29min.
“I was just trying to do my best.
“I just tried to play every single point as if it was the last one because with her, you don’t get a lot of chances during the match,” Alexandrova said.
“I had a lot today, but I couldn’t realise some of them. I’m super happy that I could win because after the second set, I thought (winning) was already past me.”
Alexandrova moves on to a quarter-final against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, who dispatched American Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-4 in 78 minutes.
Russian 15th seed Shnaider upset world number three Pegula 6-3, 6-3 to book a last-eight date with Poland’s Iga Swiatek.
The 22-year-old left-hander took only 73 minutes to defeat Pegula.
“This week I’ve been very comfortable on both defending and just firing some winners,” Shnaider said. “It was working well. I was choosing a bigger target today but sometimes ripping the ball.”
Sabalenka dropped the first set on a tiebreak as her Russian opponent won five of the last six points.
“I was trying to play super aggressive, the way I didn’t play for a long time. It worked,” said Alexandrova. “I had the feeling I have some kind of power and I can create something and it helped me mentally.”
Sabalenka levelled the match but in the decider faced match points on her serve in the 10th game.
She saved the first on a service winner and the second with an ace.
But, after sending a backhand beyond the baseline, the Belarusian made her sixth and final double fault to lose the match.
“I didn’t have any expectations before the match,” Alexandrova said. “I knew it was going to be super difficult when I walked on the court.
“I was trying to risk as much as possible because it felt like it was the only way to create some chances. It caused many more mistakes but at the same time I created many more opportunities.”
Former world number one Swiatek, the seventh seed, rallied to defeat Ukraine’s 10th-seeded Marta Kostyuk 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, saved nine break points in the last two sets without dropping serve.
“In the second I came out… playing a bit faster and more heavy and pushing Marta a little bit more,” Swiatek said. “Game by game I felt like it was a good plan and a good choice and I went for it.”
JODAR OUSTS EIGHTH SEED LEHECKA
At the ATP Montreal Masters on Saturday, Spanish teen Rafael Jodar defeated Czech eighth seed Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals.
Jodar dominated the night match after an afternoon rain delay in the Masters 1000 hardcourt event.
The 19-year-old Spaniard, runner-up last week in Washington, never let Lehecka into their fourth-round match in collecting his 33rd victory of the season.
World number 15 Jodar has reached the last eight in seven of his past eight events and a Montreal title would send the youngster to a top-10 ranking for the first time.
Jodar will play for a semi-final berth against French 18th seed Arthur Fils, who defeated Britain’s Cameron Norrie 6-2, 7-6(10/8).
Fils, who lost to Jodar last week in Washington, will play in his fourth Masters quarter-final of the year.
“It was a very nice battle,” Fils said. “The second set was back and forth.
He really raised his level. I got a bit tight but I’m happy to get out in two sets. I’m confident with how I’m playing right now.”
Italian Luciano Darderi fuelled himself with an espresso shot during a mid-match changeover in a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Nuno Borges to reach the quarter-finals.
It was not the first time Darderi had downed his national rocket fuel to fire up the afterburners in a tight situation on court.
Darderi will bid for the semis against Brandon Nakashima, whose match with Arthur Rinderknech was interrupted for nearly two hours with the final set level at 4-4.
Players were taken off court due to rain and the threat of lightning, returning to finish after almost two hours.
Nakashima withstood a love game from his French opponent but broke serve a game later before finishing a 7-6(7/4), 5-7, 7-5 victory on his first match point thanks to 22 unforced errors from Rinderknech.
He broke through in a Masters round-of-16 after losing in his first five matches at this level.
ATP number 22 Darderi will be playing in an ATP-leading 10th quarter-final of the season after earning his 30th victory of 2026.
Darderi will be playing in his second Masters last-eight of the season after achieving the quarters last May at home in Rome.
The 24-year-old overcame more than 40 winners off the racquet of his Portuguese opponent, starting his comeback in the second set with a 5-2 lead and carrying momentum into the third.
Darderi broke for 4-3 as Borges double-faulted but lost his own serve moments later for 4-all.
The Italian got an insurance break for 6-5 as a net cord bounced out for Borges, then served out the triumph with an ace on match point a game later.
Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2026