Sabalenka and Norrie Eliminated in Canadian Open Round of 16

Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked player in women's tennis, faced an unexpected exit from the Canadian Open after losing to Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova in a tightly contested match. The match lasted nearly two and a half hours, with Sabalenka falling 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-4. Despite rallying from a set down, a crucial double fault while serving to stay in the match ultimately sealed her fate.

This defeat marks another setback for Sabalenka, who has struggled in recent tournaments, having been eliminated in the quarter-finals of the French Open and the last 16 at Wimbledon earlier this summer. Alexandrova expressed her relief and happiness at securing the win, especially after feeling that her chances were slipping away after the second set.

In the men's draw, Britain's Cameron Norrie also bowed out in the last 16, losing to 18th seed Arthur Fils. Norrie had opportunities to take control of the match but ultimately fell 6-2, 7-6 (10-8). He managed to save three match points in the second set to force a tie-break but was unable to convert his chances.

Fils will advance to the quarter-finals, where he is set to face Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar, who achieved an upset victory over eighth seed Jiri Lehecka. Other players advancing include Brandon Nakashima and Luciano Darderi, both of whom secured hard-fought wins in their respective matches.