‘I Made Some Mistakes’ – Leylah Fernandez, Alexandra Eala Make Feelings Clear on Canadian Open Exits

Alexandra Eala and Leylah Fernandez had the opportunity to set up a blockbuster semifinal showdown at the 2026 Canadian Open. However, both players were ousted from the WTA 1000 event in the fourth round, and they later opened up about their mindsets regarding their performances.

Alexandra Eala Reacts to Her Canadian Open Exit

After making history by clinching her maiden tour-level title at the Mubadala DC Open, Eala extended her winning streak to seven matches by securing hard-fought wins over Alycia Parks and Caty McNally at the Canadian Open.

However, the Filipina struggled to display the same level of competitiveness in her clash with Belinda Bencic in the fourth round. Bencic dominated the 1-hour, 13-minute encounter to claim a 6-4, 6-0 victory, securing a spot in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event.

During her post-match press conference, Eala acknowledged that she struggled to find a way out of the difficult situations Bencic orchestrated, crediting the Swiss for her stellar performance.

“Yeah, tough one today. I think, yeah, Belinda put me in some tough situations. I think she played really well. I wasn’t able to kind of get myself out of a certain mode. So, overall, really good week. I am super happy with the run that I’ve had, and, yeah, going to try recover and come back out hot, yeah,” Eala said.

Despite the loss, Eala viewed the start of her North American hardcourt swing as a major positive, expressing satisfaction with the challenges she had overcome while maintaining her fitness.

“Yeah, it’s always tough, of course, after a loss. But like I said, I’m looking back at these past two weeks as a really big positive. I think I’ve played really well, I’ve gotten through so many obstacles. Of course, right now there’s that initial just kind of a little tired and down from the match,” she said.

“But, yeah, I think, I mean, I’m healthy, which is something I’m super grateful for. It’s something that’s obviously on the top of my priority all the time. So, yeah I’m counting my blessings. I’m taking the lessons that I’ve had from these two weeks and hopefully implementing them even more in a better way in Cincinnati and New York,” she added.

Eala also expressed her intention to take two days off to unwind and focus on self-care, including getting a haircut and having her nails done.

MORE: Danielle Collins Contrasts Alexandra Eala’s ‘Different’ Attitude With Her Own ‘Fierce’ Persona Amid Toronto Run

Leylah Fernandez Expresses Disappointment After Toronto Loss

Fernandez was aiming to become the second consecutive home champion at the Canadian Open after Victoria Mboko’s triumph at last year’s event, but she fell short. After triumphing over Renata Zarazúa and Mirra Andreeva in straight sets, the 23-year-old locked horns with Naomi Osaka, who notched a 6-4, 6-4 triumph to advance to the quarterfinals.

Speaking to the press after her defeat, Fernandez expressed disappointment with her performance, particularly in the crucial moments of the match, and acknowledged her mistakes.

“I mean, pretty disappointed a little bit today with some key moments. I mean, I feel like I made some mistakes. And, you know, I felt like I had some opportunities to take advantage of the moment, of being ahead and kind of putting pressure on her, but I didn’t do a good job of keeping the ball in,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez also graciously recognized that Osaka had outplayed her by capitalizing on the important opportunities that came her way, while lamenting the many errors she herself made during the contest.

“Naomi, she’s a champion, she’s a tremendous player, she did what she had to do to get the win,” she said. “I would say it was just a matter of me not taking my opportunities. I mean, Naomi, did what she had to do, and I, unfortunately, did not.”

“I mean, I just remember a few key shots, like where I went to the net, and I let some balls go. I don’t know if it gave her confidence, but it didn’t help with my confidence. It was just these small decisions that made a little bit the difference, and it just kind of mounted over and over until the end of the game,” she added.

MORE:‘Made Me Overthink’ – Naomi Osaka Explains Why She Was ‘Really Nervous’ Before Leylah Fernandez Clash in Toronto

Alexandra Eala and Leylah Fernandez will both be in action at the Cincinnati Open next, making their final stop before the US Open. The WTA 1000 event boasts a star-studded field, with the likes of Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Iga Świątek set to contend for the trophy.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.