Aryna Sabalenka
TORONTO — Aryna Sabalenka sent a backhand into the net, then the former World No. 1 smashed her racquet into the Sobeys Stadium center court.
The National Bank Open has served up yet another upset.
A night after No. 1 seed Coco Gauff was knocked out, Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed and world No. 3, lost in straight sets to world No. 132 Amanda Anisimova, 6-4, 6-2.
With the win Saturday evening, the 22-year-old Anisimova has cracked her first WTA 1000 semifinal, and the American is the lowest-ranked player to reach the final four in singles at the Canadian Open since 2019 (that was Sloane Stephens, then ranked 934th).
Anisimova now has an impressive 5-2 record against Sabalenka, who was ranked No. 1 in the world last season, and who won her second straight Australian Open this past January.
Anisimova will face fellow American Emma Navarro in the semifinal on Saturday.
In doubles, Leylah and Bianca Fernandez advanced to the semifinal Saturday with a gutsy three-set win.