Leylah Fernandez falls to Rybakina at Toray Pan Pacific Open

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez was ousted in the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open on Thursday, losing in straight sets to second-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.

Rybakina, ranked world No. 7, defeated the Laval, Que., native 6-4, 6-3 in an hour and 28 minutes, never trailing on the scoreboard and dropping serve only once. The win advances Rybakina to the quarterfinals, where she will face Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko.

Mboko, 19, from Toronto, had earlier made headlines by saving a match point against Rybakina in the semifinals of the National Bank Open in Montreal, eventually winning the tournament as a wild-card entry.

Fernandez, 23, had recently claimed the Japan Open in Osaka on Sunday, securing her fifth career singles title.

In doubles action, Canadians Victoria Mboko and Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., were narrowly defeated in the women’s doubles quarterfinals. The duo lost a hard-fought three-set match to Spain’s Christina Bucsa and Japan’s Shuko Aoyama 6-4, 7-6 (3), 10-8.

The results highlight a strong showing by Canadian women in the Toray Pan Pacific Open, with promising young talents like Mboko continuing to make waves on the WTA Tour.