Osaka reaches NBO fourth round with straight-sets win over Ostapenko in Montreal

By Canadian Press on August 1, 2025.

MONTREAL — Japan’s Naomi Osaka is moving on to the National Bank Open’s fourth round after a 6-2, 6-4 win over 22nd-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia on Friday.

Osaka, a former world No. 1, hit five aces and converted six of nine breakpoint opportunities, taking the match in 72 minutes on IGA Stadium’s centre court.

She will face the winner of a third-round match between two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula of the United States and Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia at the WTA 1000 tournament.

In other daytime results, 16th-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark rolled to a 6-3, 6-0 third-round victory against Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva.

Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, the tournament’s second seed, headlined the night session. She was scheduled to face Eva Lys of Germany in third-round action.

Victoria Mboko is the only Canadian — singles or doubles — remaining in Montreal. The 18-year-old rising star from Toronto is set for a marquee fourth-round matchup Saturday against top seed Coco Gauff of the United States.

Mboko rallied from down a set to defeat Czechia’s Marie Bouzkova 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 on Thursday.

This year’s National Bank Open debuted a revamped 12-day, 96-player format, with the top 32 seeds receiving byes to the second round. The tournament’s final is scheduled for Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press