Iga Swiatek storms into Toronto semifinal against Svitolina
TORONTO: Former world number one Iga Swiatek produced a commanding performance to defeat Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 and reach the Toronto Masters semi-finals, where she will face Elina Svitolina in a highly anticipated showdown.
The six-time Grand Slam champion needed only 64 minutes to dispatch the Russian and move into the last four of the Canadian Open. Swiatek controlled the contest from the opening exchanges, using her powerful groundstrokes and precise movement to keep Shnaider under constant pressure.
The Polish seventh seed never faced a break point and dominated the match with impressive consistency. She quickly established a 5-2 advantage in the opening set before breaking Shnaider again and serving it out in 31 minutes.
The second set proved even more one-sided. Swiatek broke early to move ahead 2-1 before another strong sequence of winners helped her extend the advantage. A third break finally ended Shnaider’s resistance and completed a convincing victory.
“From the beginning, I went for it. I felt like I could dominate,” Swiatek said after the match. She also praised her ability to adapt to difficult windy conditions, saying she focused on staying solid rather than overplaying.
The victory is significant for Swiatek, who has endured a challenging 2026 season. It marks her first WTA 1000 semi-final of the year, giving her an opportunity to build momentum ahead of the US Open.
Standing between Swiatek and a place in the final is Elina Svitolina, who produced a dramatic comeback against Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The Ukrainian ninth seed lost the opening set 6-3 but responded brilliantly, winning the second 6-0 before completing a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory. Svitolina recovered after an early setback and showed her fighting spirit when Alexandrova briefly threatened to extend the match late in the deciding set.
The upcoming semi-final promises another intriguing chapter in their rivalry. Swiatek has won three of their five meetings, but Svitolina won their two encounters earlier in 2026, including a three-set victory in the Rome semi-final.
With both players arriving in Toronto with plenty to prove, their semi-final is shaping up as one of the tournament’s most compelling battles.