Canada’s Kayla Cross falls to Kamilla Rakhimova in first round at NBO

By Canadian Press on July 28, 2025.

MONTREAL — Canada’s Kayla Cross let a one-set lead slip away in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 loss to Kamilla Rakhimova of Russia in the National Bank Open’s first round Monday afternoon.

Cross, a 20-year-old from London, Ont., who’s ranked 151st in the world, fell to the 62nd-ranked Rakhimova in one hour 55 minutes on the hard court at IGA Stadium.

It was their first career meeting on the WTA Tour.

Rakhimova will face Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, the 10th seed, in the second round. The top 32 seeds received a first-round bye at the WTA 1000 tournament.

Later in the afternoon, Ariana Arseneault of Richmond Hill, Ont., was set to face Japan’s Naomi Osaka.

In the evening, local favourite Eugenie Bouchard will begin her final run in professional tennis against Colombia’s Emiliana Arango. The 31-year-old Bouchard, a former world No. 5, recently announced she would retire after her hometown event.

Carson Branstine, who grew up in California but represents Canada through family ties in Toronto, takes on Greece’s Maria Sakkari in the final match of the night.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025.

The Canadian Press