Swiatek advances to Canadian Open semifinal ahead of US Open
Iga Swiatek will face Elina Svitolina in Toronto after sweeping past Diana Shnaider in straight sets.
Former world number one Iga Swiatek has progressed to the Canadian Open semifinals in Toronto, defeating Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 on Monday. The victory sets up a Wednesday clash against Elina Svitolina, who completed a comeback victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova to join her in the final four.
Swiatek dominated the contest in 68 minutes, combining precise ball striking with effective court coverage to overwhelm her Russian opponent. She broke serve twice in the opening set, capitalising on a series of errors from Shnaider, who committed 12 unforced errors. After taking a 5-2 lead when Shnaider hit a forehand into the net, Swiatek closed out the first set following another mistake.
The Polish player maintained control throughout the second set, never facing a break point as she dictated play from the baseline. She secured a second break to reach a 5-1 advantage with a sharply angled cross-court winner that clipped the line, before sealing the match when Shnaider sent a forehand long on match point.
The result marks Swiatek’s first WTA 1000 semifinal of an inconsistent season. The former world number one has not advanced beyond the quarter-finals at any Grand Slam this year and suffered a surprise second-round defeat to compatriot Magda Linette at the Miami Open. That loss prompted a coaching change, with Swiatek replacing Wim Fissette with Francisco Roig.
Swiatek’s form has been scrutinised following a third-round exit at Wimbledon, where she was the defending champion and lost in straight sets to Alexandra Eala. The win in Toronto is viewed as a significant confidence boost ahead of the US Open, where she captured one of her six Grand Slam titles in 2022.
Svitolina, who defeated Swiatek in the Rome semifinals in May, reached the same stage after rallying past Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-3. Alexandrova had carried momentum from her previous round victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka, winning the first set comfortably.
However, the Ukrainian player regrouped to level the match in the second set and seized a 4-1 lead in the decider. This surge was triggered by a net cord and a powerful backhand that forced another service break. Although Svitolina dropped two games while leading 5-1, she stabilised her performance to break serve and secure the win.
