Naomi Osaka defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-4 [1] on Sunday to advance in the National Bank Open in Toronto.
The victory ends the tournament run for Fernandez, a top Canadian competitor, and positions Osaka as a significant threat in the remaining rounds of the event.
The match took place on Aug. 8 [2] during the round of 16. Osaka maintained control throughout the contest, securing the win in straight sets [1]. The result eliminates Fernandez from the competition in her home country.
Following the match, Osaka reflected on her preparation and a practice session held with Fernandez prior to the official competition. Osaka said her performance during that practice was intentionally misleading or simply poor, using the moment to joke about the psychological aspect of the game.
"Truthfully, I played really bad," Osaka said [3].
Osaka said she hoped her opponent would carry that impression into the actual match to gain a competitive advantage. The contrast between her practice play and her match performance was evident in the final score.
"I hope she thinks I'll play that bad," Osaka said [4].
The National Bank Open, also known as the Canadian Open, continues in Toronto. Osaka now moves forward in the bracket, while Fernandez concludes her 2026 campaign at this event.
“Naomi Osaka defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday.”
Osaka's ability to separate her practice performance from match-day execution demonstrates a high level of mental discipline. For Fernandez, the loss in the round of 16 highlights the difficulty of maintaining momentum under the pressure of a home-crowd environment against a former world champion.
