Iga Swiatek into the 3rd round with another confident U.S. Open win

 

NEW YORK -- US Open fans had a rare opportunity to watch Iga Swiatek play in a more intimate setting on Thursday, and she rewarded them with a dominant performance that was never in doubt.

Playing each other for the first time since the French Open semifinals six years ago, the World No. 8 made quick work of Argentinian Nadia Podoroska, winning 6-3, 6-2 in the Grandstand in a little over an hour.

Swiatek was highly efficient on her serve, making 79 percent of her first serves and winning 78 percent of those points. She was never broken.

The only legitimate threat from Podoroska, who had defeated Simona Waltert in three sets in her opening match, came late in the first set. After holding to cut Swiatek's lead to 5-3 in the opener, she had three opportunities to break. Swiatek responded with two unreturned serves before bringing it to deuce. After two more deuces, Swiatek converted her second set point when Podoroska's forehand landed just wide.

The second set had no such drama, as Swiatek jumped out to a 5-1 lead and won the match with a gorgeous crosscourt backhand that Podoroska couldn't get to.

Despite the lopsided score, it was a clean match from Podoroska, who hit 11 winners to just 12 unforced errors. (Swiatek's ratio was only slightly better, with 14 winners to 13 unforced errors.) But Swiatek's superior serve, return game and net play kept her comfortably in front throughout.

Swiatek moves into the third round of the US Open, where she'll play 25th seed Marie Bouzkov. Bouzkova defeated Britain's Harriet Dart 6-2, 6-2 later on Thursday to advance.

Swiatek has won all three of her WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz meetings with Bouzkova, the most recent of which was a 6-2, 6-3 win at the Australian Open earlier this year. Bouzkova has never taken a set off Swiatek.

wtatennis.com

Another really good performance from Iga. 

2nd match in a row she didn't face a break point or lose serve. 1st time she played on Grandstand since 2021.

27 - Iga Swiatek has made the Round of 32 in the last 27 Grand Slam events (since the Australian Open 2020): in the Open Era, only Martina Navratilova (35 and 30) and Conchita Martinez (30) had longer such streaks in Women’s Singles Majors. Star.

Iga Swiatek off and running at U.S. Open with confident first round win

NEW YORK -- Iga Swiatek and Wang Xiyu traded holds across the first seven games of the second set before the seven-time Grand Slam champion made her move. A perfectly placed forehand in the corner gave Swiatek the break she needed, and she served out a 6-2, 6-3 win after 1 hour and 28 minutes on Monday night.

It's the kind of performance that has come to be expected of Swiatek. Straightforward, and perhaps to the dismay of fans at Louis Armstrong stadium, lacking drama. The same can be said for her head-to-head with Wang, which she leads 3-0. She has won all three of their meetings in straight sets.

Swiatek has now won 28 consecutive opening matches at majors, with her last -- and only -- defeat in a Grand Slam first round coming to Viktorija Golubic at Wimbledon 2019. She is 30-1 overall, with 28 wins in straight sets.

"I don't treat these matches like they should be easy. I don't take them for granted," Swiatek said. "I'm always ready from the beginning (of the tournament) to put forward the intensity and I'm ready with the level."

While it was a forehand winner that sealed an opening hold for Swiatek, it was her work off the other wing that positioned her to take the first set. It's the shot that carried her to a break for 3-1 and the ensuing 4-1 hold.

To Wang's credit, she kept fighting, even from 0-40 down in her next service game. While Swiatek dominated behind her backhand, Wang's forehand kept her in the match. She saved two of the three break points with forehand winners and the other with a stellar volley.Things flipped in the final two games of the first. Swiatek suddenly found her forehand, while Wang's control of the shot vanished. Swiatek struck another forehand winner on game point to hold for 5-2, then hit two in the final game. She then watched as Wang's forehand sailed long to hand her the break and the set.

Swiatek's brilliance extended into the second. A perfectly executed forehand pass gave her a chance to break midway through the set, and while she didn't convert then, she earned the break a few games later. In total, she forced nine break points -- converting three -- while facing none on her own serve. She also won 80% of her first-serve points.

Swiatek will face World No. 449 Nadia Podoroska (former No. 36) next. Swiatek won her only previous meeting with the Argentine in the 2020 Roland Garros semifinals en route to her first Grand Slam title.

A win would give Swiatek her 110th Grand Slam main-draw victory since the start of 2020. She has already claimed the most of any player, with Aryna Sabalenka (106) the only other player with 100 or more such wins over that span.

wtatennis.com

Iga played with confidence and clarity today. 

Knew what she wanted to do and just went for it with no hesitation. 

Her whole game looked just free flowing, something we've rarely been able to see this year. 

I would say the coaching partnership with Roig is a slam dunk. 

It took time to see all the work and instruction bear fruit, but it's really evident in the way she's playing now. 

Things have definitely clicked into place and it is an absolute joy to witness. 

I can honestly say that out of everyone who looked quite nervous in their first rounds today, Iga looked most at ease. 

Came out focused and in the zone and just stayed in it throughout.

On to the next one.

Jazda!

25 - Only three players this century have managed 25 career wins at the US Open in fewer matches than Iga Swiatek (31) – Serena Williams, Venus Williams (28 each) and Kim Clijsters (30). Merchant?

28 - Iga Swiatek (US 2019-US 2026) is the first player to record 28+ consecutive opening match wins at Grand Slam events since Serena Williams (31, RG 2012-WM 2021). Routine.

Roger Federer's legacy as he enters International Tennis Hall of Fame

 

NEWPORT — He raised the level of the tour, created a new way of playing, inspired generations of young players and brought new fans to the sport. Roger Federer, the newest member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, left a mark on the game in many different ways.

Great legends of tennis reflected on the Swiss player’s legacy. A spoiler: none of them speak specifically of wins, titles or records. All agree that what he built goes far beyond that.

“What a positive role model in every sense for our sport,” Billie Jean King told CLAY in Newport, minutes before the 20-time Grand Slam champion was inducted into the exclusive club.


For King, the great impact Federer generated is visible in the leading figures of tennis today.

“Take Carlos Alcaraz. Carlos is born, and the three best players in history played for more than 20 years. Roger had a great rivalry with Nadal, and then Djokovic appeared. Can you imagine growing up watching those three? That is what helps each generation surpass the last: you are watching the greatest. The standard Carlos has seen his entire life is incredibly high,” said the 12-time Grand Slam champion.

Mats Wilander, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002, also believes Federer’s greatest contribution was raising the level of competition.

“His biggest impact is that he raised the bar so high that the level suddenly improved remarkably — because he was so dominant in his generation and took it to the next level, which is why today we have Alcaraz and Sinner,” the 1988 world No. 1 told CLAY.

“The way he was able to get so many non-tennis fans interested in watching him,” said Jim Courier.

“The elegance that he brought to the game, the way he made something so complicated look so simple, and maintaining his dignity and class all the way through all the combat he endured — it was pretty spectacular,” the North American, a two-time Australian Open and Roland Garros champion, told CLAY.

Redefining the game. Imposing a unique style, as effective as it was pleasing to the eye. Marat Safin, one of his great generational rivals, places Federer’s main legacy right there.

“He was the new way of playing tennis — his technique, his vision, the way he approached the game. He created a new generation of young players who grew up on him. The way he could play with the ball, he brought it to a whole different level of understanding the corners. You can see it in the way he was moving, the way he was anticipating, the way he was behaving on court. It’s the best one,” Safin told CLAY.

“He challenged you to play at 150% to beat his 100%. He’s the most complete player of all time, in my opinion. The margin of error is very small, and if you lose a little bit of concentration, you are gone — and everybody knew it,” the Russian, former world number one and champion in New York (2000) and Melbourne (2005), said in Newport.

In the most technical of analyses, Billie Jean King described a detail that for her makes an important difference.

“He watches the ball better than anybody else, which I love to analyze. The main reason people miss the ball, especially at the pro level, is because they don’t watch the ball all the way to the contact point. When Roger was playing, I said: go watch Roger. He’s versatile, he’s quick, but he watches the ball,” said King, a Hall of Fame member since 1987.

Popular affection is another notable aspect, evident this Saturday in Newport, where never before had so many people gathered for an induction ceremony.

“He’s an all-time great. People adored him, particularly corporate people,” said Billie Jean King. “He just made the game so popular in the world because he’s such a class act,” said Wilander.

claytennis.com

Roger Federer inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame

 I thought I was done crying over Roger Federer making speeches after his retirement at Laver Cup in 2022.

I was wrong. So very wrong.

He got me again.

What a wonderfully heartwarming, funny, genuine, eloquent and emotionally impassioned speech. 

I was in tears before he even came on stage due to Mirka who rarely does public speeches introducing him. I think the woman has spoken publicly maybe one other time in Roger's entire 20+ year career. 

But boy, was she good. 

Not a dry eye in the house. 

Roger's whole speech was a reminder of just why I admired him for so many years. Still do in fact.

What's that saying people often utter in tennis, form is temporary class is permanent.

And Roger Federer is the epitome of it. 

Not just in tennis but in life.

It's not the number of victories or titles that make you the greatest of all time, it's who you are when no one is watching as Mirka put it in her speech. 

It's why Federer will always be my G.O.A.T. no one else on the men's side will ever compare. 

There will always be debates with Nadal, Djokovic etc. but to me there's no contest.

Iga Swiatek ends 10 match win streak in Cincinnati semis

 

Well Iga was far from her best today, physical and mental exhaustion caught up to her a bit after Toronto. 

As she herself admitted she was low on energy as the match begun, thus the 13  total service breaks. 

Still Iga should be nothing but proud of herself, she kept fighting  despite not having her level or rhythm for almost 3 hours. 

Iga of 5, 6 months ago would have lost in straights. Here she was still thinking and problem solving on court, trying different things. 

She's staying mentally stronger in matches and finally has belief in her game and shots again.

Didn't work out but she give it her all. 

So definitely lot's of positives to take away. 

Great fight, and a good indicator of what needs some work before NYC.

I think tiredness made Iga a lot less patient in rallies and she at times reverted to ball bashing and trying to outhit out of frustration. Tricky windy conditions certainly didn't help the situation.

Serve let her down with untimely double faults at very key moments towards the end of sets. 

If it weren't for that this match could have honestly gone either way. 

Stats wise it literally came down to a few crucial points. 

By the end of the match Iga actually had a higher first serve percentage and more winners. 

Pegula was just better at taking her opportunities and keeping her advantage (Iga was up 3-1 in the 3rd but couldn't consolidate the break).

Pegula does have a way of frustrating opponents with her flat ball striking, and makes you keep hitting extra balls.  

She's also very good at taking time away on fast hardcourt surfaces. 

Something that usually Iga does to her opponents.

If you're not feeling it on the day, her solid game will definitely take advantage. And that's exactly what happened.

That said an extra day or 2 to rest before the last Grand Slam of the year is probably not a bad thing for Iga. 

Proud of the way she fought despite not at her best. 

Great run, on to NYC.

Jazda!

Side note as great as Pegula was at times in this match I'll be surprised if she comes out the winner. 

My money is on Gauff (who at the moment is serving better than Sabalenka and Rybakina combined).

Iga Swiatek back in the Cincinnati semis via Rybakina retirement

Elena Rybakina's stay at the Cincinnati Open -- and current quest to dethrone Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the PIF WTA Rankings --- ended on Thursday night when she was forced to retire from her quarterfinal match against Iga Swiatek with a left ankle injury.

Swiatek was leading 4-1 with Rybakina serving at 40-15 when things first appeared to go wrong. Rybakina couldn't finish off a rally at the net, and when Swiatek put a tough passing shot at her feet, the Kazakh missed the follow-up half volley and put her hands to her knees. She struggled to push off on her first serve on the next point, which lasted just three shots, and after a mid-game medical evaluation, Rybakina elected to end the match moments later.

After Sabalenka lost to Sara Bejlek in the fourth round on Wednesday, Rybakina needed to reach the final in Cincinnati to take the World No. 1 ranking. Instead, Sabalenka will retain the top spot going into the US Open next week, and Swiatek, the Toronto champion, will face Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.

"Honestly, I felt a bit like scared because I don't know if I see a player having an injury like that," Swiatek said afterwards. "I wasn't sure because she didn't look good obviously. But then she wanted a treatment, so I wasn't sure if she's going to be back or not. So I wanted to be really focused on just being ready because breaks like that can really throw you off of your rhythm and the momentum. But then I felt really sorry for her, but hopefully it's nothing serious."

“I was feeling anxious just looking at this situation," she added. "I hope Elena will be fine. The next tournament is the priority. I know this one is important as well. But US Open is US Open. I hope she’s gonna be ready for that. She’s super close to being No. 1 in the world. It’s a shame. I thought we were playing a good match. But health is a priority. I hope she’s gonna be OK.”

Rybakina later said that the issue was "bothering [her] for a long period of time," but she felt it was under control until the recent Hard-Court Swing.

"The match against [Magdalena] Frech [in the third round], stopping with the rain delays, I started to feel it more, and I took a day off completely after," she said. "It was feeling OK before the match but unfortunately one wrong movement, one landing, and something happened.”

Admitting that it was even painful to walk after the match, she said she hoped to learn more about the problem in the coming days.

Swiatek is bidding to become just the second woman since 2004 to successfully defending a Cincinnati title, after Serena Williams in 2014-15. She will take a 7-5 head-to-head record into her semifinal with Pegula, but the American has won four of their hard-court matches.

"Jessie looks different than me on the court, but she has a great feeling and great ability to predict where the opponents are going to play," Swiatek said. "So the ball is really hard coming from her racquet and tricky. For sure, it's going to be a challenge.

"American players also are more pumped to play in American tournaments, so I'll be ready for her best version. We played many tough matches against each other, and for sure she likes also playing here, so I'll be ready."

wtatennis.com

Iga was playing quite well and it looked very likely that she was going to advance regardless. 

But no player wants to advance in this way. 

I was quite looking forward to seeing how this one would unfold, so it was a real disappointment it ended the way it did.

Pegula next. 

It's been a while since they met especially on American soil so could be a potential blockbuster. Although Pegula did get a medical time out in her match against Anisimova as well.

Thank you extended WTA 1000's. 

I'll keep saying this till I'm blue in the face, but when will the tennis establishment start putting the players welfare first.

24 - Iga Swiatek has equalled Victoria Azarenka for the third-most WTA-1000 semi-finals reached (24) since the format’s introduction in 2009. Podium.

4 - Iga Swiatek has become the player with the joint-most consecutive semi-finals reached at the Cincinnati Open in the Open Era (four, 2023-2026), equalling Simona Halep (2015-2018). Feeling.

Iga Swiatek sets up another meeting with Rybakina 1 week later in Cincy Quarters

Another tournament, another milestone. No. 7 seed Iga Swiatek extended her winning streak to nine matches with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Diane Parry in the Cincinnati Open fourth round, and advanced to her 30th quarterfinal in the 48 WTA 1000 events she has contested in her career.

In addition, the former World No. 1 has made at least the quarterfinal stage in 14 of the 30 Grand Slams she has played so far. This season, Cincinnati marks her seventh tour-level quarterfinal.

As ever, the defending champion was mindful not to place too much weight on such statistics.

"It's always nice to hear that," she said in her on-court interview. "Usually after a tournament I like to a little bit look at the numbers, but during I'm just focused on the next match -- it doesn't matter if it's a quarterfinal or a second round, I treat every match the same way. But I know my Wikipedia is going to look good! The key is to focus on being present, and that's how you can get to those numbers."

Being present is exactly what Swiatek did to win her second match in as many meetings with Parry. There were sticky moments, most notably at the start and end of the contest. Swiatek was slow out of the blocks and dropped serve in her opening game -- but Parry was unable to convert two points to hold for 2-0, and the Pole swiftly wrested control of the set.

She maintained that firm grip all the way to a 6-3, 5-1 lead as Parry's intermittent forehand winners were outweighed by a slew of unforced errors -- 24 in total -- as she was unable to consistently hit through Swiatek. But with her back to the wall, the Frenchwoman suddenly produced her best tennis.

Using her slice to extend points and keep Swiatek on the move, Parry won two games in a row, saving a first match point on Swiatek's serve with a terrific forehand winner. Swiatek, though, quickly adjusted, winning two key lungbusters on Parry's serve at 5-3 to help her over the line on her fourth match point.

"I think how I adjusted to the slices and how I got them back," Swiatek said to press of what she was pleased with. "There weren't many situations where I felt out of rhythm while playing them, which is not easy because she has a good slice. She uses it a lot."

Swiatek said it felt like a flashback to playing former No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, who's signature shot was the slice. The Pole went 0-2 against Barty, with one match on hard court and the other on clay.

"Honestly, yeah. Sometimes when I played down the line, she was killing me with the forehand," Swiatek added. "I felt 'Oh my God, that's exactly what [I've felt before]. On the other hand, I was preparing for Ash then and it gave me some confidence."

Up next for Swiatek is a familiar foe in No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina, as the two will meet for the second time in eight days following Swiatek's straight sets victory to win the title in Toronto. The matchup is also another edition of last year's Cincinnati semifinal, which Swiatek won 7-5, 6-3.

Rybakina defeated No. 14 seed Diana Shnaider 6-4, 6-4 behind eight aces and winning 41-of-48 (85%) of her first service points. She also saved all seven break points faced, and notched a timely break in each set. For the second straight year and third overall, Rybakina has reached the last eight in Cincinnati.

"I think that my serve worked and helped me quite a lot this match because I didn't start too good, and I feel the serve did the job," Rybakina said. "Altogether -- the toss, push with the legs, rotation -- just all together."

Compared to Toronto, Rybakina has yet to drop a set in Cincinnati and is likely much more fresh than the effect of four-set matches and late night finishes had ahead of her Toronto final vs. Swiatek, who showcased her best tennis all season in Canada.

"It's tough to say that I'm much fresher but we will see how it's going to be tomorrow," Rybakina said. "I got some good sleep last two nights because after Canada it was really tough straight away. We will just see tomorrow."

"I feel no matter the results, it's a good preparation for upcoming US Open to play someone who is in a good form right now and playing well," Rybakina added. "My serve wasn't that good in Canada so if I can serve at least as I did today, it will be very helpful."

wtatennis.com

Another really solid match from Iga. 

Did a great job dealing with the slices coming from Parry, not easy having to stay low when you're tired but she managed it all well. 

Stayed patient and calm once more. The lengthy rallies were so impressive and something I've very much missed from Iga this past year.  

This will be the 2nd time this tournament she plays back to back matches. 

And now she'll face Rybakina once more, a much more rested Rybakina who hasn't lost a set and hasn't had to play lengthy 3 setters. So I expect this one to be a lot closer (maybe with a breaker) possibly a 3 setter. 

But if Iga has a good start as she did in Toronto I really think she'll manage it (despite the first night match and all). 

Definitely can't afford a slow start like today giving away the fist game. But I think she'll come ready to fight.

She's in the very tough part of the draw, but what better way to prove to yourself that you're doing well then by facing tough tests. Especially right before the U.S. Open.

Jazda Iga stay strong and keep going!.

30 (2) - Iga Swiatek is the fourth-youngest player to reach 30 Tier I / WTA-1000 quarter-finals since the format’s introduction in 1990, older only than Martina Hingis, Agnieszka Radwanska and Maria Sharapova. Diamond.

30 (1) - Since the format’s introduction in 2009, only Serena Williams (45) and Agnieszka Radwanska (46) have made 30 WTA-1000 quarter-finals from fewer appearances than Iga Swiatek (48). Hurried.

9 consecutive wins in the season and in Cincy

Iga Swiatek fights past Sakkari for her 100th career hardcourt win

No. 7 seed Iga Swiatek came from a set down against frequent rival and No. 29 seed Maria Sakkari to continue her Cincinnati Open title defense, advancing 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 to the fourth round in 1 hour and 58 minutes

Swiatek improved to 6-4 overall against Sakkari, and 6-1 since the start of 2022. Her lone loss to the Greek player in that timeframe came in this year's Doha quarterfinals.

However, the former World No. 1 has seen an uptick in form during this year's Hard-Court Swing. She snapped an 11-month title drought to claim the Toronto title last week, and has now extended her winning streak to eight matches. Swiatek will next face Diane Parry, who defeated Lois Boisson4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in an all-French third-round derby. No. 66-ranked Parry advanced to the last 16 at WTA 1000 level or above for the third time in her career, following Indian Wells 2024 and Roland Garros 2026.

Swiatek and Parry have played once before, with Swiatek winning 6-1, 6-1 in the second round of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Swiatek's comeback by the numbers

"It's hard to analyze it, honestly," Swiatek said in her on-court interview. "I felt like I was playing quite good in the first set, sometimes just lacked precision. Played too much to Maria, and she used the opportunities. She was playing faster than me, I feel like, or deeper. I really wanted to start pushing her so she doesn't get so many opportunities to push me, so I'm happy that in the second set it started working and I played a bit better. She started making mistakes, and I knew the momentum changed a little bit and it was time to push."

Swiatek may have found the match hard to analyze, but a few key statistics are illuminating.

Neither player was at their best off the ground in the first set -- Swiatek committed 17 unforced errors and Sakkari 13, both outweighing their winner tally. The Greek player, however, served brilliantly. She fired five aces, two when serving the set out, and did not face a break point -- the first time this season that Swiatek has failed to generate a break point in a single set.

Two double faults from Swiatek in the opening game of the second set seemed ominous for the Pole -- but she gritted out a hold, and with it the momentum shift that she mentioned. It was as absolute as it was sudden: over the second and third sets, Sakkari committed 26 unforced errors while striking just a single winner (when 4-0 down in the decider).

Meanwhile, Swiatek kept her game watertight - she tallied 13 winners to 20 unforced errors in the last two sets, a similar ratio to her first-set numbers -- and, once she had saved two break points to lead 3-0 in the second set, did not face another for the rest of the contest.

wtatennis.com

You could definitely tell Iga was understandably tired and low on energy and intensity in the first set. 

Which makes total sense with such a short turnaround and travelling to 2 different countries.  

Along with playing back to back days. 

Add having very little time to practice in different conditions, balls, court etc and I was actually quite impressed with how quickly she adjusted and turned the match around in her favor.

The Iga of 2 months ago probably would have been the one to suffer the loss. 

But now she played smart and continued to be patient in rallies, even when things weren't going her way and frustration seeped in. 

She stayed calm and just waited and took advantage of  her opportunities when Sakkari's level dropped. 

It's a huge positive change, or I should say return to status quo because Iga was always like this. 

She just lost confidence in her game and faith in her shots. Winning Canada has really brought that back, and it's a real joy not having to worry about mental slip ups in 2nd sets. 

Instead I get to watch Iga in full flight really enjoy herself out there again, playing with belief and a sense of belonging, maybe even feeling a bit freer too.

So that's 8 wins in a row for Iga now, and a 4th third set comeback of the season. 

After Toronto I'm not really focusing on Iga's level because as she proved it's definitely there. 

This week is more about recovery and finding a way to keep going. 

Every win is icing on the cake but it also won't be a bad thing if she doesn't get to the end and gets a few extra days of rest before the U.S. Open.

Both her and Rybakina are one win away from meeting each other in back to back tournaments this time in the quarters. 

We'll see how it goes, at the moment I'm simply soaking up seeing Iga kick butt on court again.

Jazda!

100 - Iga Swiatek has claimed her 100th win from 127 WTA-1000 matches on hard court – since 2009, only Serena Williams (118) has claimed 100 wins from fewer matches on the surface. Century.

80 - Since the format’s introduction in 2009, Iga Swiatek (80.2%, 142-35) only trails Serena Williams (84.1%) for career win rate at WTA-1000 events. Control.

Iga Swiatek off to a flier in Cincy Open defense

After capturing the National Bank Open crown on Thursday, the question was how Iga Swiatek
might respond to a quick turnaround for her upcoming title defense at the Cincinnati Open.

She answered it with aplomb on Sunday. The Pole picked up her seventh straight match win — and seventh in a row at the tournament — by beating Colombia's Emiliana Arango
 6-3, 6-0 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.

The 2025 Cincinnati champion won the last seven games after a slow start, falling behind a break at 2-1. She admitted that she needed time to adjust to the court speed in Cincinnati, which is “much different” from Toronto. But once she found her range, it was smooth sailing.

"At the beginning, I felt I needed to get used to the court and the conditions, and get my rhythm," Swiatek said to press after the 1 hour and 12-minute win. "There were some shots that I mishit or played a little bit too long because the ball is flying differently than in Toronto.

"Later on, I played much more efficient, and game-by-game, I knew what to address to just make less mistakes and be more solid. By the end of the match, I felt really good."

Seven proved a good number for Swiatek in the match -- Arango is also now 0-7 against Top 10 players -- but it wasn't the only one. Other notable numbers from the match included:

2: Arango could do little to stem the Swiatek tide once the No. 7 seed got going. She only won two points on serve in the second set.

4: After hitting 17 unforced errors in the first set, Swiatek only hit four in the second set.

"The ball is bouncing a bit higher in the air and it acts a but different," Swiatek said on the difference between Toronto and Cincinnati's courts. "There was some wind today that was different than Toronto. It was more humid so physically, you feel much different.

"The ball kind of stays in the air longer, which makes it tricky sometimes if you're not used to it."

5: She broke Arango's serve five times in the match.

18: Swiatek finished the match with 18 winners -- 15 more than Arango.

30: The win marked Swiatek's 30th main-draw match won on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz this season.

41: Swiatek has now won 41 6-0 sets at WTA 1000 level in her career. Only Martina Hingis (52) and Serena Williams (50) have more since 1990.

99: Swiatek now has 99 career hard-court wins at WTA 1000 tournaments. Should she beat Maria Sakkari in the third round, she would become the fifth active player to claim 100-plus wins in hard-court WTA 1000 events along with Aryna Sabalenka, Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina and Serena Williams.

wtatennis.com

Not much to say after this one. 

Iga did a superb job adjusting to the different court conditions considering she barely had 2 days to train with the quick turnaround from Canada. 

And still no rest with Sakkari tomorrow. 

After not seeing Iga for weeks at a time it's nice to see her almost on the daily at the moment.

  

The only thing I'm not looking forward to tomorrow is Iga playing first up at 11am. 

The visibility of the ball in this tournament is absolutely atrocious (forgot how much I hated it).

80 - Since the format’s introduction in 2009, Iga Swiatek (80.2%, 142-35) only trails Serena Williams (84.1%) for career win rate at WTA-1000 events. Control.

Iga Swiatek, the champion in Toronto!

 

Entering Thursday, the last time Iga Swiatek defeated Elena Rybakina was last summer in Cincinnati, where she went on to win her most recent WTA 1000 title.

Until now.

Swiatek capped a stellar run in Toronto with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 win over World No. 2 Elena Rybakina in 75 minutes to claim her first title of the season -- and the 26th of her career -- at the National Bank Open. It also marks her 12 WTA 1000 crown, moving her past Aryna Sabalenka (11) for the second-most since the format debuted in 2009. She now trails only Serena Williams (13).

The victory also pushes Swiatek ahead 7-6 in their head-to-head on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, snapping a two-match skid against Rybakina.

"You're such a great competitor, and it's always tough to play against you," Swiatek said during the trophy presentation. "We've played many important matches against each other, and I'm sure there are going to be many, many more."

This was the second time the two have met in a final, with both matches going Swiatek's way in straight sets. She is now 26-5 in WTA finals, the best win rate of any player with 20 or more WTA-level finals since the Tier format's introduction in 1990.

The 2026 season had been a lackluster one by Swiatek's high standards entering Toronto. She had yet to reach a final, had slipped to No. 8 in the world and was on the fringes of the WTA Finals picture. Above all else, her confidence appeared shaken.

But those afflictions seemed to evaporate the moment she stepped foot on Canadian soil.

The six-time Grand Slam champion opened her campaign with a bagel and dropped just six games across her first two matches. After a comeback win over Marta Kostyuk in the Round of 16, Swiatek returned to dominance in a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals. In the semis, Swiatek avenged a pair of three-set losses to Elina Svitolina earlier this season with a three-set victory of her own to reach the championship match.

By completing the title run with a win over Rybakina, her longtime rival, it appears some of those inner -- and outer -- demons have been conquered.

"I want to dedicate this title to everyone who is dealing with unfair judgement and hate," Swiatek said. "Just keep pushing, keep growing, keep focusing on yourself because you know what's best for you. And always remember what's ahead and what might be possible."

With her triumph in Toronto, Swiatek has now captured all five significant North American titles: Indian Wells (2022, 2024), Miami (2022), US Open (2022), Cincinnati (2025) and Canada (2026).

She is also three-fourths of the way to a Career Slam, missing only an Australian Open title, and has won eight of the 10 WTA 1000s on offer -- with Dubai and Wuhan the only two she has yet to claim.

In total, Swiatek holds 19 Big Titles, including: Roland Garros (x4), US Open, Wimbledon, WTA Finals, Rome (x3), Doha (x2), Indian Wells (x2), Beijing, Canada, Cincinnati, Madrid and Miami.

She is 6-0 in Grand Slam finals, 1-0 in WTA Finals championship matches and 12-2 in WTA 1000 finals. Across those 21 matches, she has lost five games or fewer 14 times.

But your guess is as good as hers as to why she appears so unflappable with a trophy on the line.

"I don't really know because I try to approach these matches the same as the ones before. I know what I did right, and I'm just trying to continue that," Swiatek said in her post-match press conference. "I guess if I'm in the final it means that my game is good, and that gives me confidence, for sure.

"You know you need to go all in if you want to win the tournament because you're going to face the best player in the final. So just trying to focus on that."

Rybakina double-faulted twice in the opening game to hand Swiatek an early break and was unable to find her footing as the match progressed, clearly missing a step after a run to the final that included four three-setters in five matches -- the last two against Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff, both of which required her to rally after dropping the first set.

After Swiatek took the first set in just under half an hour, Rybakina offered a brief resistance to begin the second, but Swiatek broke for 3-2 and that was all she wrote. After a forehand winner sealed a hold for 5-3, the former World No. 1 broke for the fourth and final time -- finishing with a backhand winner -- to take the title in Toronto.

As a result, Swiatek is projected to rise three spots to No. 5 in the PIF WTA Rankings and, more importantly, jump two places to No. 10 in the Race to the WTA Finals as the home stretch begins. Rybakina, meanwhile, tightened her grip on the No. 2 ranking and continued to close the gap between herself and Sabalenka in the battle to be World No. 1.

wtatennis.com

After an 11 month title drought Iga Swiatek is back in the winners circle once more.

And what a win it tuned out to be!.

 Iga took charge from the get go after Rybakina had a slow start on serve and just runaway with the first set. 

Came up with absolutely brilliant shots when in trouble. Shots full of conviction that feels like we haven't seen in months.

Looked truly fearless the entire match, it's like she said to herself this title is mine and I don't care who's on the other side of the net, I'm not letting anyone take it from me. 

Iga Swiatek in finals has always been a different beast, and today she reminded everyone why. 

She finally remembered how pivotal her heavy topspin, patience and footwork were to her identity and success as a player. 

It was never about the serve, when Iga let's her athleticism shine, everything else flows and there are very few who can stop her. 

I must think that Iga's coach is in someway responsible for this awakening  and for that I sincerely thank him.

Because boy did tennis need it. 

I absolutely loved her victory speech, spoke from the heart about how tough things have been mainly because of criticism on the internet and media abroad but especially in our home county of Poland.

She sternly reminded all of them that in the end it is her who decides what is best despite all of their "expert" opinions. 

And it became a lovely message of encouragement to players and people alike to shut out the negativity and noise and just stay true to yourself.

Bravo.

The Champion of Toronto in my adopted country, won by a woman from the country of my birth. It doesn't get sweeter than that. 

Congratulations Iga, you have earned this enjoy it to the fullest!.

Hope you get at least a little breather.

See you in Cincy. 

Although I honestly can't bring myself to care about that title defense right now.

Whether it happens or not kind of doesn't matter, because Iga has just proven she's back where she belongs. 

Whatever happens next feels like icing on the cake.

Jazda!