Canada’s Kayla Cross upsets Britain’s Katie Boulter at NBO for first WTA

TORONTO — Canada’s Kayla Cross has her first WTA victory.

The London, Ont., product upset Britain’s Katie Boulter 7-6 (3), 7-5 to advance to the second round of the National Bank Open on Monday.

“Definitely in shock,” Cross said. “Sill doesn’t really feel real.”

Playing just her third tour match and included at the US$7.4-million event as a wild-card entry, the 21-year-old will next face No. 28 seed Ann Li of the United States.

A total of five Canadians were set to hit the court on York University’s windswept campus on Toronto’s northern edge after a chunk of Sunday’s schedule was delayed by rain.

McCartney Kessler of the U.S. cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Cadence Brace of Oakville, Ont.

Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., who broke Canada’s half-century drought by winning the NBO in 2019, faced Czechia’s Nikola Bartunkova, Carol Zhao of Richmond Hill, Ont., took on Poland’s Magda Linette, and Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino was scheduled to meet Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez.

Spurred on by a home-soil tennis crowd on centre court at Sobeys Stadium, Cross fought off four set points in the first and then broke Boulter — ranked No. 69 in the world — at 5-5 in the second before serving out to pick up a memorable victory.

“I got a text message last night asking if I wanted to be on centre court,” Cross said. “Obviously said ‘yes’ right away. The game plan going in was try to play my game, trying to go for the shots.

“Just live in the moment and be happy out there.”

Cross, who bowed out of the NBO’s first round last summer in Montreal, entered the annual showcase ranked 172 after sitting at No. 262 some 12 months ago.

“I checked my phone after the match,” she said. “I think I had like a hundred notifications … a little overwhelmed.”

Toronto’s Katherine Sebov topped Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to advance to the second round.

Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que. — only seeded Canadian at No. 30 at the women’s tournament — plays her first match Wednesday.

Victoria Mboko of Burlington, Ont., who captured last summer’s NBO title at age 18 and is ranked No. 12 on tour, is out of this year’s tournament because of a knee injury.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2026.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press