Canada Open: All Eyes on Victor Lai

Having shot into prominence over the last year, Victor Lai will go into the YONEX Canada Open 2026 with the weight of home expectations on his shoulders.

The Canadian’s sensational run on the HSBC BWF World Tour started at last year’s edition, when he finished runner-up to Kenta Nishimoto. Following a bronze medal finish at the BWF World Championships, and more recently, having won the POLYTRON Indonesia Open 2026, Lai will be favourite to claim the men’s singles title, which no Canadian has done since Brian Abra in 1999.

But Lai will have to come through a fairly strong draw, starting with Finland’s Joakim Oldorff in the first round.

Seventh seed Su Li Yang, who won the YONEX US Open on Sunday, is in his half.

Lai’s senior compatriot Brian Yang heads the lower half of the draw, which has prominent contender Kidambi Srikanth.

In women’s singles, Canadian icon Michelle Li will look to capitalise on her recent form as she seeks a fifth Canadian Open title, which would see her go ahead of joint-record holder Marjory Shedd.

Li has a tricky opener against Anmol Kharb. Other prominent names in the draw are Beiwen Zhang, who is in the lower half, and second seed and recent US Open winner Line Christophersen.

Men’s Singles: Tarun Mannepalli, Kok Jing Hong

Women’s Doubles: Sayaka Hirota/Ayako Sakuramoto

Men’s Singles: Mark Shelley Alcala, Saket Thavanani, Eason Wong

Women’s Doubles: Sydney Hanyue Li/Katelin Ngo