Elina Svitolina was keenly aware of the significance of the match at hand. Despite being behind a set against a Russian opponent, the Ukrainian tennis star found her rhythm and battled her way into the semifinals of the National Bank Open on an emotional Monday night. The crowd, largely composed of Ukrainian supporters from the Greater Toronto Area, was deeply engaged in every point, providing fervent backing for Svitolina.
After a slow start, the No. 9 seed and 2017 tournament champion rallied to defeat Ekaterina Alexandrova with a scoreline of 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 on centre court at Sobeys Stadium. Reflecting on her performance, Svitolina remarked, “I had to really search for opportunities and eventually found my groove.”
In the upcoming semifinal clash on Wednesday, Svitolina will face Iga Swiatek, who secured her spot by defeating Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1. Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam winner and last year’s Wimbledon champion, expressed confidence in her current form, stating, “I feel more focused and in control of my game, making it easier to execute my strategy effectively.”
The remaining women’s singles quarterfinal matches are scheduled for Tuesday, with top seed Elena Rybakina facing Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff squaring off against Belinda Bencic. Svitolina acknowledged the heightened energy in the arena, particularly given the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, now in its fifth year. She emphasized the immense support she receives from the Ukrainian community in Toronto, which motivates her to persevere even in challenging moments.
Having overcome a shaky start, Svitolina capitalized on multiple break-point opportunities to secure victory. Notably, she has already defeated Swiatek twice this season, setting the stage for an intense battle characterized by physicality and lengthy rallies.
Meanwhile, Swiatek dominated her quarterfinal match against Shnaider, showcasing strong form and adaptability to the windy conditions. The Polish player’s impressive performance, marked by a lack of break-point concessions, propelled her to a swift victory in just 64 minutes.
In the men’s doubles competition, Canadians Duncan Chan and Alexis Galarneau saw their impressive run come to an end with a quarterfinal loss to Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo. The Croatian-El Salvadorian duo’s efficiency on serve proved decisive, setting up a semifinal clash against either Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti or Daniil Medvedev and Fabian Marozsan.
As the tournament progresses, the stage is set for thrilling matchups and intense competition in both singles and doubles events at the National Bank Open.
