Coco Gauff has returned to the quarterfinals of the National Bank Open in Toronto for the first time in three years after producing a convincing victory over teenage qualifier Alina Korneeva. The world No. 4 needed just 74 minutes to complete a 6-3, 6-1 win and secure her place in the last eight.
Gauff made her tournament debut in Montreal in 2021 and reached the quarterfinals in each of her first three appearances from 2021 through 2023. However, she had been unable to progress beyond the fourth round in her previous two campaigns.
The latest victory also marked another significant milestone for the American. It is her seventh WTA Tour quarterfinal of the 2026 season and the 25th WTA 1000 quarterfinal of her career.
Gauff will face former champion Belinda Bencic in the quarterfinals after the Swiss star ended Alexandra Eala's impressive seven-match winning streak. The 12th seed delivered a dominant performance to defeat the Filipino 6-4, 6-0 in just one hour and 13 minutes.
Bencic took control of their first WTA Tour meeting by breaking Eala late in the opening set before serving it out. She then dominated the second set, winning all six games without allowing her opponent to respond. The result secured Bencic's third Toronto quarterfinal and fourth overall at the Canadian tournament, including her previous run in Montreal.
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