Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina will meet in the Canadian Open final in Toronto with their head-to-head perfectly balanced at six wins apiece. The Pole defeated Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 on Wednesday, while the Kazakh eliminated Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to complete her third comeback of the week.
Rybakina rallies again after dropping the first set to Gauff
For the third time this tournament, Rybakina had to come back from a set down. Fourth seed Gauff claimed the opening set 7-5 after the Kazakh squandered chances at 5-4. The turnaround was total across the final two sets: Rybakina broke four times to close out 6-2, 6-2, imposing her firepower and serving prowess in the clutch moments. "I feel like I stayed so many hours on the court this week that some shots are just coming out from my racquet," Rybakina smiled after the match. She became only the fourth player in the Open Era to win four three-set matches en route to a Canadian Open final, following consecutive comebacks against Samsonova, Osaka and Gauff.
Swiatek reaches first final of 2026 after a tough season
Swiatek navigated a match that unfolded in three distinct chapters. Dominant in the first set (6-3), the seventh seed was overwhelmed by Svitolina's fightback in the second (1-6), before regaining control in the decider (6-3) despite a rain delay of over an hour. "It hasn't been an easy season, probably the toughest one in my life. This week has been really positive," said the Pole, who reaches her first final of the 2026 season.
A knife-edge rivalry for the Toronto crown
The Swiatek-Rybakina final promises a blockbuster clash. Their 6-6 head-to-head is one of the most evenly matched rivalries at the top of the women's game, and Rybakina has won their last two meetings, including the Australian Open quarterfinals in January. For Swiatek, this title would mark a turning point in an up-and-down campaign. For Rybakina, it would cap a week of extraordinary resilience on the Toronto courts. (Sources: Tennis Majors, WTA, Yardbarker)
