Iga Swiatek outfights Elina Svitolina for spot in National Bank Open final

Iga Swiatek will play for the National Bank Open title in Toronto on Thursday, after outlasting Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in a wild semi-final.

The six-time Grand Slam winner from Poland dispatched the 2017 Canadian Open winner in a back-and-forth, rain-delayed three-setter.

The former World No. 1, who is now ranked No. 8, would return to the WTA’s Top 5 if she can hoist the trophy in Toronto. It would be Swiatek’s 26th career WTA title, but her first of this season.

Swiatek’s opponent in Thursday’s final will be decided later Wednesday night in the other semi-final, between World No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and American Coco Gauff, the World No. 4.

The champion of the 12-day WTA 1000-level tournament will earn US$1,085,220 of the total US$7,433,076 purse.

Canadian, U.S. tennis federations met during NBO to talk about growing the game

Nakashima, Shelton advance to all-American men's final

Wednesday’s action started over an hour late, as a rainstorm passed over Sobeys Stadium.

The crowd for Swiatek and Svitolina was spotted with both Polish and Ukrainian flags and supporters. There was no clear favourite in the match. Swiatek led their head-to-head 4-3 going in, but Svitolina had won both of their meetings this year.

The 31-year-old from Ukraine had a couple of early break points, but Swiatek fought them off. Instead the 25-year-old Polish star quickly went up by a double break, aggressively going to the net and blistering winners. Swiatek dominated the first set.

Svitolina turned the tables in the second set. She turned up her level and mimicked the bounce-back effort she’d shown in her 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 quarter-final win over Ekaterina Alexandrova two days earlier. Svitolina, a five-time WTA 1000 champion, forced a third set.

The gruelling decider started differently. The players stayed neck-and-neck for five games and Swiatek fought off six break points before Svitolina finally broke her serve. Swiatek broke right back, and then never relinquished control.

This was the first time at the Canadian Open since 2000 that all four semi-finalists were ranked inside the Top 10.

Click here to read article