Zhao to make final National Bank Open appearance after receiving wild card

Carol Zhao will compete in the final home open of her career after being awarded a main-draw singles wild card for the tournament in Toronto.

Tennis Canada announced Sunday that Zhao and Ariana Arseneault — both natives of Richmond Hill, Ont. — received the remaining main-draw singles wild cards for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers.

Zhao, who turned professional in 2016, has represented Canada at the Billie Jean King Cup seven times and won doubles gold alongside Gabriela Dabrowski at the 2015 Pan American Games. She has confirmed the 2026 season will be her last on the professional tour.

In doubles, Leylah Annie Fernandez of Laval, Que., will reunite with her sister, Bianca Jolie Fernandez, in the doubles bracket, while former U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu will team up with Kayla Cross.

The pairing of Andreescu and Cross recently represented Canada together at the Billie Jean King Cup.

“The National Bank Open has always been a special opportunity for Canadian players to compete on home soil, and having eight Canadians in the main draw reflects the continued growth and depth of tennis in this country,” tournament director Karl Hale said in a statement.

“Fans will also be excited to see the Fernandez sisters reunite after reaching the semifinals in Toronto in 2024, while Billie Jean King Cup teammates Bianca Andreescu and Kayla Cross add another exciting Canadian team to the doubles draw.”

Noelle van Lottum, Tennis Canada’s head of women’s tennis, said Zhao and Arseneault earned the opportunity through their strong contributions to Canadian tennis.

“Carol has been a respected figure in Canadian tennis for many years, and we’re thrilled to give her the opportunity to compete at her home tournament for one final time,” van Lottum said. “Ariana’s game continues to trend in the right direction, and she is doing all the right things to position herself to compete at the highest levels.”

The eight women’s main-draw wild cards have now been allocated. The previous recipients were Andreescu, Cross, Katherine Sebov of Toronto, Cadence Brace of Toronto, Rebecca Marino of Vancouver and Venus Williams.

Tennis Canada also announced Avery Alexander and Ana Grubor have received qualifying wild cards. A third Canadian qualifier will earn entry through a four-player playoff, while the final qualifying wild card was exchanged through a reciprocal agreement with another tournament.