Belinda Bencic delivered a masterclass in efficiency on Sunday evening at the National Bank Open in Toronto, defeating Alex Eala 6-4, 6-0 to advance to the quarter-finals of the WTA 1000 hard-court event. The Swiss star, ranked 14th in the world, was particularly dominant in the second set, with Eala broken in six of her eight service games across the match and managing just eight points in the final set.
For Eala, the defeat ended a remarkable seven-match winning streak that stretched back to Washington DC, where the 21-year-old Filipina claimed the biggest title of her career at the WTA 500 event. She arrived in Toronto ranked a career-high 20th in the world and, making her debut at the tournament, posted three-set victories over Alycia Parks and Caty McNally before running into the in-form Bencic.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, the atmosphere surrounding Eala's run in Toronto was nothing short of extraordinary. The Filipino community turned out in force for every match, creating sold-out, electric crowds that even her opponents praised. Bencic addressed the fans directly after her win, thanking them for making it a special night despite the majority cheering for Eala.
Eala herself was reflective and upbeat in her post-match press conference, describing the week as an incredible debut and vowing to carry the memories for a long time. She also revealed her immediate post-tournament priorities: a haircut, fresh nails, and a couple of rest days before heading to Cincinnati, where she begins with no ranking points to defend.
For her fourth-round exit, Eala earned 120 ranking points and $81,800 in prize money, lifting her 2026 earnings to over $1.6 million. TennisDraw users had widely backed Eala to make a deep run in Toronto after her stunning Washington title.
