Several familiar faces will be attempting to earn main-draw spots in the National Bank Open presented by Rogers on Saturday, August 1, 2026, in Toronto and Montreal, headlined by former Grand Slam champions and rising stars.

The marquee names in the qualifying draw at the women's event in Toronto include 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens, both representing the United States.

Stephens is set to face fellow American Katie Volynets, while Kenin will meet Italy's Lucrezia Stefanini. The qualifying field also features 2024 Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen of China, alongside promising Canadian talents Ana Grubor, Isabella Marton, and Avery Alexander, who are eager to make their mark on home soil.

Men's Qualifying Spotlight

On the men's side, 2023 Australian Open finalist and 2021 French Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece enters as the top seed in the Montreal qualifying draw, awaiting his first-round opponent.

Meanwhile, defending 2024 National Bank Open champion Alexei Popyrin of Australia faces a tough early test against fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis. In another high-profile matchup, 2014 US Open runner-up Kei Nishikori of Japan takes on two-time NCAA champion Michael Zheng of the United States, who recently reached the third round at Wimbledon.

Canadian hopes Duncan Chan and Justin Boulais will also be in action, looking to secure their spots in the main draw and energize the home crowd.

The Path to the Main Draw

The winners of each of the 16 qualifying matches in Toronto and Montreal will earn coveted spots in the main draw, which officially begins on Sunday. For many of these players, the National Bank Open represents a pivotal opportunity to gain ranking points, secure valuable match play, and potentially upset higher-seeded opponents on the North American hard courts.

As the tournament kicks off, the electric atmosphere in both Canadian cities is expected to provide an invigorating backdrop for the qualifiers, setting the stage for a thrilling fortnight of elite tennis.