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Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka suffered a surprise defeat in the Canadian Open weeks before she begins her US Open title defence, while Britain’s Cameron Norrie also bowed out in the last 16.<\/b><\/p>\n
Sabalenka lost 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-4 to Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in a match lasting almost two and a half hours in Toronto.<\/p>\n
The Belarusian recovered from a set down to force a decider, but a double fault when serving to stay in the match handed the number 16 seed victory.<\/p>\n
It is the latest defeat in what has been a difficult summer for Sabalenka, who was knocked out in the quarter-finals and last 16 of the French Open and Wimbledon respectively.<\/p>\n
“I just tried to play every single point as if it was the last one because with her, you don’t [get] a lot of chances during the match,” Alexandrova said.<\/p>\n
“I’m super happy that I could win because after the second set, I thought [the chance] was already past me.”<\/p>\n
The Russian will face Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina for a place in the semi-finals, after she defeated American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-2 6-4.<\/p>\n
Third seed Jessica Pegula suffered a first career loss to Diana Shnaider, as the 22-year-old finished both sets strongly to win 6-3 6-3.<\/p>\n
The Russian will face Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals, after the seventh seed overcame opening set service troubles to defeat 10th seed Marta Kostyuk 3-6 6-1 6-2.<\/p>\n
The six-time Grand Slam winner retired to the locker room after Kostyuk broke her serve four times during a shambolic a 39-minute opening set, but looked much improved when she returned.<\/p>\n
In the men’s event in Montreal, British number two Cameron Norrie spurned two set-point opportunities as he was defeated 6-2 7-6 (10-8) by 18th seed Arthur Fils.<\/p>\n
Norrie saved three match points in the second set to force a tie-break, but the Frenchman broke his serve to win in one hour and 43 minutes.<\/p>\n
Fils will meet Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar in the quarter-finals, after the 19-year-old upset eighth seed Jiri Lehecka 6-3 6-3.<\/p>\n
Brandon Nakashima and Luciano Darderi also progressed to the next round with gruelling three-set victories over Arthur Rinderknech and Nuno Borges respectively.<\/p>\n
Italian Darderi used a mid-match changeover to enjoy an espresso as he battled to a 4-6 6-3 7-5 win.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n