Canadian Open: Iga Swiatek into first final of her ‘toughest season’

by | Aug 13, 2026 | Sports

Canadian Open: Iga Swiatek into first final of her 'toughest season'

Iga Swiatek advanced to the Canadian Open final in Toronto after a three-set victory over Elina Svitolina, winning 6-3 1-6 6-3. The seventh-seeded Pole, a six-time Grand Slam champion, claimed her first WTA final appearance of the season following an extended drought that began after winning Cincinnati 12 months prior. Swiatek acknowledged the challenging nature of her recent campaign, describing it as the most difficult of her career thus far. Despite these struggles, she expressed optimism about her performance throughout the tournament, noting that her success demonstrates the importance of perseverance.

Elena Rybakina booked her spot in the final by overcoming Coco Gauff in a three-set encounter, winning 5-7 6-2 6-2. The world number two came from behind to secure victory and advance to the championship match. Rybakina, the defending Australian Open champion, has demonstrated a pattern of comebacks in this tournament, having also recovered from a deficit during her quarter-final triumph over Naomi Osaka. The 27-year-old acknowledged that her opening-set performance was solid before she made tactical adjustments to dominate the remaining sets.

The final will mark the 13th professional meeting between Swiatek and Rybakina, with their head-to-head record standing at six wins apiece. Their most recent encounter occurred earlier in 2026 when Rybakina defeated Swiatek in straight sets during the Australian Open quarter-finals. Both players acknowledged the competitive nature of their matchup and the extensive familiarity built through their numerous prior contests.

In men’s singles competition in Montreal, American players Ben Shelton and Brandon Nakashima will contest the final after both advanced with straight-set victories in their semi-finals. Shelton defeated Learner Tien while Nakashima prevailed against Rafael Jodar. A victory for Nakashima would represent his first Masters 1,000 title and his most significant career achievement to date, while Shelton seeks to defend his title and secure his seventh ATP tournament championship.

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