Sebov, Brace, and Marino receive main-draw wild cards for National Bank Open in Toronto

“We’re thrilled to welcome Katherine [Sebov], Cadence [Brace], and Rebecca [Marino] into the main draw, where they will have the opportunity to represent themselves and Canada proudly on home soil,” said Tournament Director Karl Hale. “It’s incredibly exciting for both the players and our fans to have so many Canadians competing at the tournament. The National Bank Open is the fuel of tennis across Canada, and having so many Canucks to cheer for at Sobeys Stadium will create another unforgettable experience while showcasing the depth of Canadian tennis, inspiring future generations, and supporting the growth of our sport from coast to coast.”

“This is a great opportunity for Katherine, Cadence, and Rebecca,” said Noelle van Lottum, Head of Women’s Tennis, Tennis Canada. “They have shown over the last few weeks and months that they are at the level to compete at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers. With Leylah [Annie Fernandez] and Bianca [Andreescu] also confirmed to participate, this year’s tournament has a strong contingent of Canadians for fans to come and watch. It’s going to be a memorable couple of weeks.”

The main-draw wild cards given to the Canadian trio represent the fourth, fifth, and sixth to be announced for this year's WTA tournament, with two still to be awarded. The first three wild cards were awarded to seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, 2019 National Bank Open and US Open titlist Bianca Andreescu and Road to the NBO winner Kayla Cross.

Two main-draw wild cards remain to be announced,

Fans can purchase tickets for the National Bank Open, taking place August 1-13 at Sobeys Stadium, by clicking here.

In the singles draw, Karolina Muchova of Czechia and Jasmine Paolini of Italy have withdrawn due to injury. As a result, Tamara Korpatsch of Germany and Taylor Townsend of the United States have been added to the main draw. 

DOUBLES ENTRY LIST UNVEILED

The list of doubles entries was also unveiled today, led by the Canadian-Brazilian duo of Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani. The 2021 champions have reunited in 2026, having won five titles together – including three this year – as well as a recent appearance in the Wimbledon final.  

Among the other notable pairs are world No. 1 Katerina Siniakova of Czechia, who won the NBO in 2019 and will team up with China’s Shuai Zhang – both of whom won a Grand Slam tournament this year as part of different teams, at Roland-Garros and the Australian Open, respectively. In addition, two-time NBO champion Coco Gauff will team up with her American compatriot McCartney Kessler, while 2026 Australian Open doubles champion Elise Mertens of Belgium will partner with 22-year-old rising star Diana Shnaider.

Click here for the complete doubles entry list in Toronto. The list also appears below:

1. Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) / Luisa Stefani (BRA)
2. Katerina Siniakova (CZE) / Shuai Zhang (CHN)
3. Anna Danilina (KAZ) / Aleksandra Krunic (SRB)
4. Sara Errani (ITA) / Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA)
5. Hanyu Guo (CHN) / Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
6. Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) / Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
7. Elise Mertens (BEL) / Diana Shnaider
8. Ellen Perez (AUS) / Demi Schuurs (NED)
9. Erin Routliffe (NZL) / Aldila Sutjiadi (INA)
10. Shuko Aoyama (JPN) / En-Shuo Liang (TPE)
11. Tereza Mihalikova (SVK) / Olivia Nicholls (GBR)
12. Storm Hunter (AUS) / Desirae Krawczyk (USA)
13. Asia Muhammad (USA) / Fanny Stollar (HUN)
14. Cristina Bucsa (ESP) / Eudice Chong (HKG)
15. Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR) / Quinn Gleason (USA)
16. Ingrid Neel (EST) / Giuliana Olmos (MEX)
17. Xinyu Jiang (CHN) / Fang-Hsien Wu (TPE)
18. Magali Kempen (BEL) / Alexandra Panova
19. Qianhui Tang (CHN) / Yifan Xu (CHN)
20. Katarzyna Piter (POL) / Janice Tjen (INA)
21. Hao-Ching Chan (TPE) / Maya Joint (AUS)
22. Miyu Kato (JPN) / Liudmila Samsonova
23. Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) / Maia Lumsden (GBR)
24. Coco Gauff (USA) / Caty McNally (USA)

The WTA's best return to Toronto next summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers Aug 1 to 13 at Sobeys Stadium. Get your tickets today!

Feature Photo: Sarah-Jade Champagne