Defending Champion Pegula Exits Canadian Open Montreal

Jessica Pegula, the two-time defending champion and world No. 4, was unexpectedly eliminated in the third round of the Canadian Open after a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 loss to Anastasija Sevastova, ranked 386th. Despite Pegula's strong start and previous victory over Maria Sakkari, Sevastova's resilience and aggressive play turned the match around, securing her a spot against Naomi Osaka, who advanced with a solid 6-2, 6-4 win over Jelena Ostapenko. Amanda Anisimova also impressed with a comeback victory over Emma Raducanu and will next face Elina Svitolina. Iga Swiatek, the tournament's second seed and Wimbledon champion, continued her dominant run with a convincing win over Eva Lys. On the men's side, American second seed Taylor Fritz comfortably defeated Gabriel Diallo, while fourth seed Ben Shelton narrowly overcame Brandon Nakashima in a hard-fought match. Pegula's loss marks a setback in her pursuit of a rare third consecutive Canadian Open title, a feat last accomplished by Monica Seles in the 1990s.