Swiatek beats Svitolina, Rybakina downs Gauff to set Toronto final
Synopsis
Swiatek's first WTA final in nearly a year came the hard way — three sets, three 2026 meetings with Svitolina, and her first win in all of them. Rybakina then dismantled Gauff in two dominant sets after dropping the opener, setting up a top-two showdown that could reshape the WTA's late-season narrative.
Key Takeaways
Iga Swiatek defeated Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the Canadian Open semifinal on 13 August 2026 .
The win is Swiatek's first over Svitolina in three meetings in 2026, all of which went to a deciding set.
Swiatek advances to her 14th career WTA 1000 final and her first WTA final in nearly a year.
Elena Rybakina eliminated Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the final.
Rybakina won the last five games of the match to close out the victory from 15-40 on serve.
Iga Swiatek battled past Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the semifinals of the Canadian Open on 13 August 2026 in Toronto, booking her first WTA Tour final appearance in nearly a year and her 14th career WTA 1000 final. In the day's second semifinal, second-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan eliminated fourth-seeded American Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to set up an all-top-four showdown.
Swiatek Grinds Out a Third-Set Thriller
Play began roughly an hour late due to rain, but Swiatek wasted no time once on court, winning the first four games and breaking Svitolina in each of her first three service games to pocket the opener comfortably. The Ukrainian held for the first time only when trailing 5-2, recovering just one of the breaks.
Svitolina came out transformed in the second set, abandoning the baseline exchanges and taking aggressive cuts at every opportunity. The tactic paid off handsomely — she raced to a 5-0 lead, holding three set points on Swiatek's serve before ultimately clinching the set 6-1.
The Ukrainian carried that momentum into the decider, pressing Swiatek's serve early and converting a break in the fifth game to lead 3-2. It looked like the match was tilting decisively her way. But Svitolina's level dipped at a critical juncture — she would not win another game. Swiatek broke straight back and reeled off four consecutive games, including a break to love for 5-3, before serving out the match. The victory was Swiatek's first over Svitolina in three meetings in 2026, all of which had gone to a deciding set.
Rybakina Overpowers Gauff After Slow Start
Rybakina dropped the opening set despite a strong baseline performance, as Gauff — after a shaky start — steadied her serve and found her range in the later games, breaking to claim the set 7-5. The American had missed a set point at 5-4, 30-40 before converting two games later.
The second set was a different story entirely. Gauff struggled to maintain consistency from both her serve and groundstrokes, and a break at 2-3 in her third service game proved the turning point. Rybakina added a break to love late in the set to force a decider, winning the second 6-2.
The third set mirrored the second almost identically. Gauff managed a couple of holds early to slow the momentum, but cracked again in her third service game. Rybakina won the last five games in a row, breaking for 5-2 before closing out the match from 15-40 down on her own serve.
What the Final Sets Up
The Canadian Open final will pit the tournament's top two seeds against each other — a rematch that carries considerable weight given their three competitive meetings earlier in the season. For Swiatek, the final represents a chance to end a near-12-month drought without a title at this level. For Rybakina, it is an opportunity to claim a second WTA 1000 crown of the year and consolidate her position among the tour's elite. Both players have demonstrated the capacity to win from a set down, which should make for a compelling final.
Point of View
Three deciding sets, one win apiece until today — Swiatek versus Svitolina has become the tour's most reliably tight rivalry in 2026, and the pattern held again in Toronto. What stands out is how Swiatek won: not through dominance, but by absorbing a second-set collapse and capitalising on a single lapse in Svitolina's concentration. That mental resilience, rather than shot-making, may be the more significant indicator heading into the final. Rybakina's path was arguably more emphatic — dropping the first set before winning 10 of the last 12 games against the fourth seed is a statement of intent that Swiatek will need to account for.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the score in the Swiatek vs Svitolina Canadian Open semifinal?
Iga Swiatek defeated Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the Canadian Open semifinal on 13 August 2026. It was their third meeting of the 2026 season, all of which went to a deciding set.
What was the score in the Rybakina vs Gauff semifinal?
Elena Rybakina defeated Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the Canadian Open final. Rybakina won the last five games of the match after Gauff had taken the opening set.
Who will play in the Canadian Open 2026 women's final?
Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina will contest the Canadian Open final, matching the tournament's top two seeds. It is Swiatek's 14th career WTA 1000 final and her first in nearly a year.
How did Svitolina perform in the semifinal against Swiatek?
Elina Svitolina dominated the second set, winning it 6-1 after racing to a 5-0 lead, but her level dropped sharply in the third. She led 3-2 in the decider before failing to win another game as Swiatek closed out the last four.
Why did Coco Gauff lose to Rybakina in the Toronto semifinal?
Gauff struggled with consistency in the second and third sets, losing her serve at key moments and failing to keep the ball in play from both serve and groundstrokes. Rybakina exploited the errors to win 10 of the last 12 games after dropping the opener.
