Osaka, Gauff race into Canadian Open quarters as Rybakina survives scare

Osaka, Gauff race into Canadian Open quarters as Rybakina survives scareWorld number 2 Elena Rybakina rallies to beat unseeded Liudmila Samsonova, while stars Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff also progress.World number two Elena Rybakina survived a huge scare to battle into the Canadian Open quarterfinals on Sunday in Toronto, while fourth-ranked Coco Gauff cruised through.Kazakhstan’s Rybakina recovered from 0-3 and two breaks down in the final set to beat Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 before American Gauff swept aside Russian teenage qualifier Alina Korneeva, 6-3, 6-1.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Malawi reach WAFCON semis and World Cup, while Nigeria’s title reign endslist 2 of 4NBA: Hall of Fame coach and champion player Don Nelson dies at 86list 3 of 4Brazilian player falls into tunnel celebrating goallist 4 of 4Barca eye three-peat as Mourinho back at Madrid in new La Liga seasonend of listRybakina will face four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who eliminated home hero Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-4.Gauff reached the last eight in Canada for the first time since 2023 and next meets 14th-ranked Swiss Belinda Bencic, who won 6-4, 6-0 in 73 minutes over 20th-ranked Alexandra Eala, a Filipina who won her first WTA title last Monday in Washington.“My main focus today was ‘let me try and close it out’,” said Gauff, who has not dropped a set in Canada.“Probably not the way I should be thinking, but it worked today.“I’m proud of how the last three matches have gone and just knowing if I have to go the distance I’m ready, but obviously would prefer to cut it short if I can.”Coco Gauff plays a shot against Alina Korneeva during their fourth round match at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, on August 9, 2026 [Dan Hamilton/Imagn Images via Reuters]Osaka broke in the seventh game of each set to advance in 82 minutes.“It was all pretty good for me,” the 13th-ranked Osaka said. “She has a great attitude. She’s consistent and she will fight. She’s kind of like a bulldog.”The Japanese star, who has never faced Rybakina, said sound groundstrokes were key.