No Canadian players qualified for the U.S. Open singles draws as Bianca Andreescu and Liam Draxl were defeated in the final round matches in New York. Andreescu lost to Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia in a closely contested match, where she struggled with net points despite firing seven aces. Draxl also faced a tough match against Tristan Schoolkate of Australia, ending in a narrow loss after a competitive battle.

The rain-delayed matches saw Andreescu leading before the suspension, while Draxl fought hard but couldn’t maintain his early advantage. As a result, both players missed out on entering the main draw through the qualifying rounds.

However, Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ontario, will represent Canada in the men’s singles main draw, while Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Quebec, will compete in the women’s singles draw.

In a separate development, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula commended the U.S. Open for increasing the prize money allocation, along with the establishment of a player advisory council for Grand Slam events. Sabalenka, a vocal advocate for fair player compensation, expressed optimism that these changes would improve relations between players and tournament organizers.

The record $108 million US prize purse announced for this year’s U.S. Open reflects efforts to address player demands for a higher share of revenues and more involvement in decision-making processes. Sabalenka and other top players have previously limited their media appearances to advocate for increased prize money, with the recent developments seen as a positive step towards addressing players’ concerns.

Pegula highlighted the progress made through unified efforts from both men’s and women’s tours, emphasizing the significance of establishing a player council and enhancing player welfare initiatives. The initiatives signify the ongoing push from players to have a greater say in shaping the future of the sport and improving its governance structure.