While most Canadians were enjoying their long weekends, relaxing with family and maybe eating an absurd amount of turkey, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Leylah Annie Fernandez were putting in work.
The pair kicked off their respective campaigns at the last big events of the Asian swing over the weekend and had to battle through some early tests. But both Canadians got the job done and are not leaving China just yet.
Here’s what you need to know.
In Case You Missed It: Heavy Holiday Weekend
Three matches, nine sets, seven and a half hours on court. That’s what Félix Auger-Aliassime and Leylah Annie Fernandez did with their Thanksgiving weekends.
The bulk of that was Auger-Aliassime at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai. On Saturday, the Montrealer kicked off his campaign with a thrilling comeback win over Camilo Ugo Carabelli 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-5 that nearly lasted three hours. Then on Monday, he once again survived in three sets, besting Pablo Carreno Busta in just under two hours to reach the last sixteen.
Fernandez only had to play one singles match, as play began at the WTA 1000 in Wuhan on Monday, but it was also a battle. The Lavalloise needed almost two and a half hours to fight through her opening match against Ekaterina Alexandrova, emerging victorious in three sets.
Doubles did not go as well for Fernandez. On Tuesday, she and partner Talia Gabison lost their first-round match to eighth seeds Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.
Gabriela Dabrowski has yet to play her opening match in Wuhan, instead getting to enjoy a bye after her title run last week at the previous WTA 1000 event in Beijing.
It was the second WTA 1000 crown of the year for the Ottawan and her Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani. The pair were dominant in the Chinese capital, only dropping one set on route to the title. That included victories over Errani and Paolini in the quarters, sixth seeds Elise Mertens and Diana Shnaider in the semis, and a dominant cap to the run against top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Shuai Zhang in the final, where they only lost three games.
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What to Watch: The Grind Continues in Shanghai and Wuhan
Both Félix Auger-Aliassime and Leylah Annie Fernandez are the lone Canadians in the singles draws of Shanghai and Wuhan this week and they will each play their next match on Wednesday.
Auger-Aliassime is the fourth seed at the Masters 1000 event and is looking to get back in the quarter-finals of an ATP Tournament for the first time since Wimbledon. Standing between him and the last eight is 20th seed Casper Ruud. The Canadian leads their head-to-head 5-3 and has won their last four meetings, with the Norwegian’s last victory coming back in 2022.
If he makes it five in a row over Ruud, Auger-Aliassime would play either No. 12 seed Rafael Jodar or Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarter-finals. The Canadian is the highest seed left in the bottom half of the Shanghai draw. No. 5 Daniil Medvedev is the highest-ranked possible hurdle standing between Auger-Aliassime and the final.
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Over in Wuhan, Fernandez will take on Han Shi, who stunned 13th seed Alexandra Eala, in the second round. A win could set up a third-round clash with second seed Jessica Pegula if the American overcomes the ever-dangerous Jelena Ostapenko.
Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani will kick off their bid for the Chinese 1000 double against Ulrikke Eikeri and Quinn Gleason, whom the Canadian-Brazilian duo beat on their way to the Beijing title last week.
There is some more possible déjà-vu for the top seeds in Wuhan, as they are projected to meet No. 7 seeds Elise Mertens and Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals, another Beijing rematch. Dabrowski and Stefani are in the same half of the draw as No. 4 seeds Su-Wei Hsieh and Ostapenko.
Under the Radar: Domestic Action Heating Up
Canada’s best results on the World Tennis tours last week came on home soil at a pair of wheelchair events in the Maritimes.
First up was a WC50 event in Bedford, NS, where the hosts picked up a pair of wins. Thomas Venos scored his third WT wheelchair doubles title of the year, winning the event alongside American Conner Stroud.
Hisham Mohammad was the other Canadian winner in Bedford, finishing atop the quad division with victories in all three of his round-robin matches.
Venos and Stroud swept the East Coast events, following up their win in Nova Scotia with another doubles victory at the Sure Grip International Wheelchair Tennis Open in Fredericton, NB. The two doubles titles bring Venos’ haul up to four in 2026.
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The doubles partners also faced off in the singles final in Fredericton, with Stroud winning in straight sets.
Anne-Marie Dolinar went on an impressive run in New Brunswick, upsetting second seed Christina Pesendorfer in the first round of the women’s singles. She then took out Isla Gillespie to reach the final, where she was edged out in two tight sets by top seed Sally Schwartz.
At the WTA 125 event in Samun, Turkey, Bianca Andreescu reached the quarter-finals.
This week, the Women’s World Tennis Tour is back in Canada for a W50 event in Quebec City. There are more than two dozen Canadians entered in the tournament. CLICK HERE to read the event preview.
You can follow the Canadians in action every week here.
Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak
