Champions Clash in Toronto
Grand Slam Champions Świątek, Rybakina Clash in Toronto Final for WTA 1000 Title
Key Points
The Swiatek–Svitolina semifinal was delayed by rain, with Swiatek saving a couple of break points early and taking the first four games before Svitolina mounted a late second-set surge (a 5-0 run with three set points) before Swiatek prevailed to win the decider 6-3 and reach the Toronto final.
Elena Rybakina's path to the Toronto final included a quarterfinal comeback over Naomi Osaka, then a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 semifinal win over Coco Gauff; her latest comeback win keeps her within reach of world No. 1 with a Toronto title.
Gauff looked rusty in the Toronto semifinal after not playing since Sunday, launching the match with early fight but ultimately succumbing to Rybakina's power as the Kazakh secured her place in the final with a three-set win.
The finalists' head-to-head has Swiatek and Rybakina meeting 12 times already, with the ledger split; Rybakina has won the last two encounters, including a Melbourne Australian Open quarterfinal win that helped her build title momentum.
Rybakina is World No. 2 and, if she wins Toronto, would move to within four points of No. 1 Sabalenka, underscoring the high-stakes nature of the final against Swiatek.
Elena Rybakina rallied from a first-set loss to defeat Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 in the Canadian Open semifinals, booking her spot in the Toronto final, according to The New York Times. She will face Iga Świątek, who outlasted Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the other semifinal.
The final sets up a rematch between two Grand Slam champions who have split their 12 career meetings evenly. The stakes are high: a Rybakina win in Toronto would move her to within four points of world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, per Tennis Now.
Rybakina Grinds Down Gauff in Three Hard Sets
Gauff took the opening set 7-5, showing early fight after days off the court. But Rybakina shifted gears fast. She won the next two sets 6-2, 6-2 to close out the match, WTA Tennis reported. It was Rybakina's fourth three-set win of the tournament — a sign of her resilience all week.
WTOP noted that Gauff looked rusty, having not played since the previous Sunday. Rybakina's heavy serve and flat groundstrokes proved too much in the end. The Kazakh star moves into her first-ever National Bank Open final.
Świątek Battles Rain and Svitolina to Reach Final
Świątek's semifinal was delayed by rain before it even got going. She grabbed the first four games of the match and won the opener 6-3. Svitolina then surged back in the second set with a 5-0 run and earned three set points, taking the set 6-1 to level the match.
But Świątek held firm in the decider, winning 6-3 to advance. The win avenged two earlier three-set losses to Svitolina this season. It also marks Świątek's first WTA Tour final in nearly a year — her 14th career WTA 1000 final overall, according to The Washington Post.
Rybakina's Path to No. 1 Runs Through Toronto
Rybakina entered the week ranked world No. 2. A title in Toronto would push her to within four ranking points of Sabalenka at the top, per Tennis Now. She has already beaten Naomi Osaka in the quarterfinals and now Gauff in the semis — two big wins in quick succession.
Rybakina has won the last two meetings against Świątek, including a quarterfinal win at the Australian Open earlier this year. That head-to-head edge could matter. But Świątek has the experience of 14 WTA 1000 finals behind her, giving Sunday's match a genuine edge-of-your-seat quality.
What to Watch in the Toronto Final on Sunday
The head-to-head between Świątek and Rybakina sits at 6-6 across 12 meetings — as even as it gets. Rybakina's power game on hard courts is a natural threat to Świątek's baseline dominance. Both players enter the final with momentum, having won three matches each this week, The New York Times reported.
For Świątek, the Toronto title would end a near year-long drought without a final. For Rybakina, it could kick off a serious run at the world No. 1 ranking ahead of the US Open. Either way, Sunday's final promises to be one of the best matches of the hard-court season.
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