TORONTO: Iga Swiatek outlasted Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 on Wednesday to book a Toronto title showdown with world number two Elena Rybakina.
Australian Open champion Rybakina delivered another gutsy comeback, beating fourth-seeded Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the final in the hard court warm-up for the US Open.
Former world number one Swiatek, seeded seventh, is in her first final of the year, having last lifted a trophy in Seoul almost a year ago.
She improved to 5-3 against Svitolina, who had narrowed their head-to-head record with two wins over the Polish star this year.
In a match delayed more than an hour by rain, six-time major champion Swiatek raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set. The Ukrainian made Swiatek work to serve it out, saving a pair of set points in the final game of the first.
Energised, she raced through the second set before Swiatek rebounded in the third, breaking Svitolina to love for a 5-3 lead before holding serve to secure the win.
“Against Elina it’s always tough, so I’m happy that I won this one,” said Swiatek.
Svitolina, who won the Canadian crown in 2017, was seeking her third 1000 level final of the season after winning at Rome and finishing runner-up in Dubai. But she couldn’t hang on as Swiatek upped her game again in the final set.
Rybakina, who also rallied from a set down to beat Naomi Osaka in the quarter-finals, is on the cusp of her third title of the season after her triumph in Melbourne and a trophy in Stuttgart.
Her Canadian run has her inching closer to No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the rankings as the Aug 31 start of the US Open approaches.
Kazakhstan’s Rybakina polished off the victory over Gauff shortly before 1:00am local time, taking advantage as the American began to falter in the face of pressure on her serve.
While Rybakina had to battle past Osaka to reach the semis, Gauff had advanced via a walkover. But Rybakina said the hard work may have helped her.
UNBOWED SHELTON MAKES DECIDER
In Montreal, defending champion Ben Shelton shook off a nasty crash into a backcourt hoarding as he steamrolled Learner Tien 6-2, 6-3 to reach the final of the Montreal Masters.
Shelton, who won the title in Toronto last year in the ATP Masters 1000 event that alternates between cities, will try to double up in Toronto when he takes on fellow American Brandon Nakashima in the title match.
Nakashima held off Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 to book his first ATP Masters final.
“It means a lot, so many American guys in the mix,” Shelton said.
The last all-US pair to battle for a Masters trophy were Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick in 2003 in Cincinnati.
Shelton was treated by a trainer in the second set to staunch bleeding from his left elbow and webbing of his fingers. He shook off the discomfort to earn a payback win against Tien, who had beaten him in two previous meetings.
Shelton is seeking his fourth title this season after winning on three different surfaces: indoor in Dallas, clay in Munich and grass in Stuttgart.
He has beaten Nakashima all five times they have played — including in Toronto last year.
Jodar, the Spanish sensation, a finalist in Washington this month and tipped to soon crack the top 10 in the rankings, saved four match points before his opponent fired an ace on his fifth opportunity to prevail in a final game that featured six deuces and lasted more than 10 minutes.
Nakashima goes into his first Masters final with growing confidence on serve and with his forehand. He will be playing the fifth final of his career and by far his most prestigious.
He has never before competed in anything more than a 250-level title match.
Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2026
