Leylah Fernandez and Denis Shapovalov both won their first-round matches at the US Open on Sunday, advancing to the second round and keeping Canada's main-draw presence alive at Flushing Meadows.
How did Fernandez perform in her opening match?
Fernandez defeated China's Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-2 in a dominant display. The Laval, Quebec, player recorded 22 winners and four aces while accumulating 61 total points. She did commit 13 unforced errors and struggled with her serve toss at times, leading to three double faults, but her offensive intensity proved decisive.
What was Shapovalov's result?
Shapovalov topped Serbia's Miomir Kecmanović 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to improve to 6-0 in his career against the Serbian. The Richmond Hill, Ontario, player deployed 19 aces across the match. After Kecmanović broke out to a 4-1 lead in the third set, Shapovalov won five of the final six games to regain control and secure the victory.
Who fell short in qualifying?
Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ontario, lost 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek in the final round of qualifying on Friday. Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, had led 2-0 before rain suspended play Thursday; she was attempting to qualify for her second consecutive Grand Slam after reaching the Wimbledon main draw. Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ontario, fell 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(10-7) to Australia's Tristan Schoolkate in the same round, missing his second Grand Slam appearance of the year after competing at the Australian Open in January.
Who else represents Canada in the main draw?
Félix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal, seeded third, begins his tournament on Monday against Australia's Rinky Hijikata. Auger-Aliassime reached the US Open semifinal last year before losing to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is absent this year due to injury. The main draw opened Sunday with Fernandez and Shapovalov's victories.
Sources
- Sportsnet.ca: Canada's Fernandez, Shapovalov advance to second round of US Open. Published 2026-08-30.
- Sportsnet.ca: Canada's Liam Draxl, Bianca Andreescu lose in final round of US Open qualifying. Published 2026-08-29.
- Sportsnet.ca: Canada's Auger-Aliassime, Shapovalov, Fernandez learn draws for US Open. Published 2026-08-27.
Reported from public sources.