World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and two-time Canadian Open champion Jessica Pegula both booked their places in the Round of 16 with commanding performances.
Sabalenka continued her outstanding hard-court form by defeating Shuai Zhang 6-3, 6-4 in straight sets. The victory improved her remarkable 2026 hard-court record to 25-1, making her the fastest player to reach 25 wins on the surface in a season since Serena Williams achieved the feat in 2016. Although Zhang pushed her throughout the match and even earned a break point in the closing game, Sabalenka held her nerve by winning the final three points to seal the result. The win also strengthened Sabalenka’s head-to-head advantage over Zhang to 5-1, with every victory coming in straight sets.
Jessica Pegula also advanced comfortably, defeating Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4, 6-0 despite a rain interruption. The American stayed composed to claim her third victory in four days, handling a demanding schedule that included only one travel day between matches.
Next up, Sabalenka faces 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in a highly anticipated clash, with Sabalenka holding a slim 5-4 edge in their previous meetings. Pegula will continue her title bid against Diana Shnaider in the Round of 16.
