World number one Sabalenka ousted in Toronto by Alexandrova

Toronto - CAN
Toronto, Canada, Aug 9, 2026 (AFP) - - World number one Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated by Russian 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Saturday in a fourth-round match at the WTA Toronto Masters tournament.
Alexandrova defeated the four-time Grand Slam winner from Belarus 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4 in 2hr 29min to book a berth in the quarter-finals.
Sabalenka, who will seek her third consecutive US Open title next month, fell to 5-5 in her career WTA rivalry with Alexandrova, who will face either American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova or Ukraine's ninth-seeded Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals.
Sabalenka broke for a 2-0 lead in the opening set, dropped the next four games, then held and broke back to 4-4 on a forehand drop volley winner.
Double faults by Sabalenka in the 11th game and Alexandrova in the 12th surrendered breaks leading to a tie-break.
The Russian took five of the last six points to seal the first set when Sabalenka swatted a crosscourt forehand wide.
In the second set, Alexandrova hit a forehand long to surrender a break and give Sabalenka a 4-3 lead. The top seed then held serve twice to force a decider.
Sabalenka was broken when she netted a forehand to give Alexandrova a 3-1 edge, but the Russian double-faulted away a break in the seventh game.
In the 10th game, Sabalenka made three unforced errors to give Alexandrova break and match points.
Sabalenka saved the first on a service winner and the second on an ace.
But after sending a backhand beyond the baseline, the Belarusian made her sixth and final double fault to lose the match.
"I didn't have any expectations before the match," Alexandrova said.