No. 7-seeded Iga Swiatek is enjoying for her first closing of the yr.
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, August 10, 2026
Picture credit score: Nationwide Financial institution Open Fb
The cobalt court docket in Toronto is popping right into a blueprint for Iga Swiatek’s title construct.
Stacking bodily factors, Swiatek deconstructed Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 driving into her second semifinal of the season on the Nationwide Financial institution Open in Toronto.
A pointy Swiatek overwhelmed Shnaider profitable 11 of 16 factors performed on the left-hander’s second serve and changing 5 of 9 break factors to succeed in the Canadian Open semifinals for the second time following her run to the 2023 closing 4.
“I feel I adjusted nicely to the circumstances. It acquired fairly windy,” Swiatek stated. “Most likely probably the most wind I had on my match throughout the entire match, so it wasn’t simple.
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“I adjusted additionally to the lefty spin nicely. I attempted to open the court docket fairly good.”
Persevering with her hunt for her first closing since she received Seoul final September, Swiatek will play Elina Svitolina for a spot within the closing.
Overwhelmed within the opening set, Svitolina stormed by way of eight straight video games dispatching Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 to succeed in the Nationwide Financial institution Open semifinals for the third time.
Lashing a crosscourt backhand strike, Svitolina broke at love to finish a 93-minute comeback conquest then did a working victory leap in celebration.
The ninth-seeded Svitolina improved to 40-11 on the season, matching Jessica Pegula for many wins on the WTA Tour this season.
The 2017 Canadian Open champion Svitolina edged Swiatek in a three-set Rome semifinal on crimson clay in Might.Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek has received 4 of their seven profession clashes, however Svitolina has defeated the Pole in each of their 2026 conferences. Svitolina scored a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 conquer Swiatek within the Indian Wells quarterfinals final March.
Carrying a 37-5 profession document vs. left-handers onto court docket tonight, Swiatek spun a forehand winner down the road for triple break level within the opening recreation. When Shnaider sailed a forehand, Swiatek broke at 15 to open.
That recreation actually set the tone for the remainder of this 64-minute thrashing. A assured Swiatek was calling the photographs utilizing her spin management to unsettle Shnaider.
Hitting excessive topspin forehands that shot out of the 5’6” Shnaider’s strike zone, Swiatek stamped successive strong holds for 3-1.
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The Shnaider lefty forehand is one among her greatest weapons, however she was misfiring on that stroke because the seventh recreation escalated into the longest of the set. Shnaider despatched a forehand past the baseline to face a 3rd break level then netted a forehand down the road as Swiatek scored her second break for 5-2.
Variation somewhat than vicious tempo marked Swiatek’s serving success. Regularly hitting the kick serve huge on the advert aspect to displace the left-hander, Swiatek received 12 of 14 first-serve factors within the first set and closed it on her second set level when Shnaider knocked a return into internet. Swiatek dedicated simply 5 unforced errors within the 31-minute opener.
All through this match—even after she dropped the primary set to her French Open conqueror Marta Kostyuk—Swiatek has proven a willingness to patiently work the factors. She did that successfully tonight.
“Properly, that was the aim from the start once I began working with [former Rafa Nadal coach] Francis [Roig], however for certain, you already know, this era of Grand Slams in summer season and totally different tournaments for me,” Swiatek stated. “You already know, enjoying on clay, and with all this fuss round that I often have there, typically it’s not serving to.
“So I didn’t have a lot readability in my head to at all times hold doing the stuff that he wished me to do.
“Right here, I really feel prefer it’s already acquired extra into my behavior, you already know, and it grew to become extra pure. That’s undoubtedly how I wish to play, to have this endurance.”
Trampolining excessive topspin, Swiatek rattled out successive forehand errors scoring her third break for a 2-1 second-set lead.
The huge serve not solely typically set Shnaider scurrying outdoors of the doubles alley to return, it created loads of open court docket house for Swiatek. Thumping a bounce smash, Swiatek backed up the break at 15 for 3-1.
The six-time Grand Slam champion cruised by way of eight of the final 10 factors to shut in 64 minutes. Swiatek improved to 27-12 and reached WTA 1000 semifinals on each arduous court docket and clay for the fifth straight yr. Swiatek is the third lady since 2009 to realize that feat, after fellow No. 1 champions Simona Halep (2014-19) and Aryna Sabalenka (2021-25)
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Richard Pagliaro. Richard Pagliaro is Tennis Now Managing Editor. He’s a graduate of New York College and has lined professional tennis for greater than 35 years. Richard was tennis columnist for Gannett Newspapers in NY, served as Managing Editor for TennisWeek.com and labored as a author/editor for Tennis.com. He has been TennisNow.com managing editor since 2010.
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