Elina Svitolina was well aware of the significance of the match she was playing. The Ukrainian tennis star found herself trailing a set against a Russian adversary. The audience, including many supporters from Ukraine in the Greater Toronto Area, was emotionally invested in every point during the National Bank Open quarterfinal on Monday night.
Despite the challenging start, Svitolina rallied and secured a spot in the semifinals. The ninth seed and 2017 tournament champion overcame a tough beginning to defeat Ekaterina Alexandrova with a score of 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, advancing on centre court at Sobeys Stadium.
Reflecting on her performance, Svitolina mentioned, “I had to really search for opportunities. I managed to find my rhythm.” She is now set to face Iga Swiatek in the semifinals on Wednesday after Swiatek, the seventh seed, triumphed over the fifteenth seed, Diana Shnaider, with a score of 6-2, 6-1.
Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam winner, including the previous year’s Wimbledon title, reached the NBO semifinals in 2023 but lost to Jessica Pegula, who went on to claim consecutive championships. Swiatek expressed her improved focus and ability to execute her game plan effectively.
In the upcoming women’s singles matches, the remaining top seed, No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, will face off against No. 11 Naomi Osaka of Japan, while No. 4 Coco Gauff of the United States will compete against No. 12 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.
Svitolina acknowledged the heightened energy from the crowd and on the court during Monday’s late session, particularly due to Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. She emphasized the support she receives from the Ukrainian community in Toronto, describing it as a significant source of motivation.
Following a challenging first set, Svitolina bounced back, showcasing a strong performance in the subsequent sets. She capitalized on break-point opportunities to secure the victory, displaying resilience and determination in the match that lasted one hour and 33 minutes.
Looking ahead to the semifinals against Swiatek, Svitolina emphasized the importance of physical endurance and predicted intense rallies between the two familiar opponents. Swiatek, on the other hand, displayed a dominant performance against Shnaider, securing a semifinal spot in just 64 minutes.
As the tournament progresses, the atmosphere is expected to remain charged with enthusiastic support from fans on both sides. In a separate development, Canadians Duncan Chan and Alexis Galarneau concluded their impressive doubles run at the men’s National Bank Open in Montreal with a quarterfinal loss to Croatia’s Mate Pavic and El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo.
Pavic and Arevalo demonstrated a strong performance, setting up a semifinal clash against either a French duo or a team comprising Russia’s Daniil Medvedev and Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan. Despite the loss, Chan and Galarneau showcased commendable performances earlier in the tournament, defeating notable opponents on their way to the quarterfinals.
In addition to the doubles action, singles quarterfinal matches were set to commence, featuring matchups between various talented players aiming to advance in the tournament.