Defending champ Jessica Pegula advances to the quarterfinals at National Bank Open | Canada News Media
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Defending champ Jessica Pegula advances to the quarterfinals at National Bank Open

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TORONTO – Jessica Pegula remains on track at the National Bank Open.

Last year’s winner defeated American qualifier Ashlyn Krueger 6-2, 6-4 on Friday to advance to the quarterfinals at the Canadian tennis championship.

Pegula, a 30-year-old from Buffalo, N.Y., was the beneficiary of nine double faults in a performance that saw her at times struggle with the conditions inside a windy Sobeys Stadium.

The No. 3 seed in 2024 topped Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova in last year’s final in Montreal after also making the semis in both 2021 and 2022.

The 20-year-old Krueger upset No. 15 seed Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., on Thursday to eliminate the last remaining Canadian singles player in the draw — both in Toronto and at the men’s event in Montreal.

In other early matches, Taylor Townsend of the U.S. upset No. 4 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-2, 6-1 and No. 8 Emma Navarro of the U.S. beat No. 11 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 7-5, 7-5.

Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. also advanced as part of a hearty American quarterfinal contingent after No. 10 Anna Kalinskaya of Russia retired because of dizziness. Anisimova took the first set 6-2.

Krueger’s serve gave Fernandez fits Thursday, but she fired just two aces against Pegula less than 24 hours later.

Krueger double-faulted up 4-3 in the second set to gift Pegula a break before sending her return wide in the next game for a 5-4 deficit.

Pegula, who won doubles in Toronto with Gauff two years ago, then clinched the match on a shot that clipped the net before she raised a hand in acknowledgment and hugged her compatriot.

Pegula improved to 3-0 against Krueger after also topping the Dallas native 6-0, 6-2 at Wimbledon last month. She also downed Czechia’s Karolina Pliskova in straight sets to open her NBO title defence Wednesday.

Coming off a second-round showing at the Paris Olympics, Pegula improved to 14-2 all-time at Canada’s title event.

Townsend’s unlikely run continued after she made the women’s bracket as an injury replacement before No. 16 seed Dayana Yastremska retired in the second set of their match Tuesday.

The 71st-ranked American then steamrolled Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont., by a count of 6-0, 6-2 on Thursday.

Top seed Coco Gauff of the U.S. was scheduled to take on No. 14 Diana Shnaider of Russia in Friday’s evening session, while No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus took on Great Britain’s Katie Boulter.

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand were slated to hit the doubles court for their first action in Toronto this year later Friday.

Dabrowski is coming off an Olympic bronze alongside Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime to end Canada’s 24-year medal drought in tennis at the Games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2024.

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RCMP arrest second suspect in deadly shooting east of Calgary

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EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.

Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.

Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.

Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.

Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.

RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.

Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.

“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.

But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.

“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.

While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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26-year-old son is accused of his father’s murder on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast

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RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.

Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.

The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.

It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.

Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.

The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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Metro Vancouver’s HandyDART strike continues after talks break with no deal

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VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.

Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”

However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.

McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”

About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.

McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.

He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.

The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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