Canadian Open Toronto WTA Day Three Round-Up | Iga Swiatek & Marta Kostyuk dominate with bagels as Sabalenka fights into third round
WTAWednesday, 05 August 2026 at 04:30
The opening rounds in Toronto delivered a mix of expected victories and dramatic battles, with several of the tour’s biggest names safely advancing while others were forced into difficult three-set contests. Elina Svitolina headlined the day with a remarkable comeback victory, while Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka both overcame tricky starts to continue their campaigns.
Elsewhere, Marta Kostyuk turned around a dangerous opening set before cruising through, Madison Keys looked sharp in her debut, and Talia Gibson produced one of the surprises of the day by eliminating Maja Chwalińska. With the draw beginning to take shape, the third-round matchups now promise several intriguing clashes between seeded contenders and dangerous outsiders.
Svitolina survives late scare to reach third round
Elina Svitolina def. Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4
Svitolina had to dig deep in one of the most dramatic matches of the day, overcoming Bouzas Maneiro in a three-set battle that lasted more than two and a half hours. The world No. 9 arrived in Toronto fresh off her WTA 1000 title run in Rome and was pushed to the limit by the Spaniard, who repeatedly threatened to pull off a major upset. Svitolina even saved multiple set points in the opening set before eventually losing the tiebreak, leaving her in immediate danger of an early exit.
The Ukrainian showed why she remains one of the toughest competitors on tour, recovering from a break down in the second set and taking control of the tiebreak from the opening points to force a decider. She then raced to a 5-0 lead in the third set before Bouzas Maneiro mounted an extraordinary comeback, winning four consecutive games and serving at 5-4, 40-15. Svitolina refused to panic, won the final four points in a row to break back, and closed out the match to set up a third-round meeting with Anastasia Potapova.
Elina SVITOLINA of Ukraine celebrates his victory during the eighth day of the Roland-Garros 2026
Swiatek overcomes Bejlek resistance in Toronto opener
Iga Swiatek def. Sara Bejlek 6-0, 6-3
Swiatek made a statement from the opening point, winning the first nine points of the match and immediately establishing complete control against the dangerous 20-year-old Czech. The former world No. 1 looked fully focused from the start of her Toronto campaign, racing through the opening set without dropping a game and barely allowing Bejlek to settle into the contest.
The second set was far more competitive than the scoreline suggests. Bejlek finally found her rhythm after falling behind 6-0, 3-0 and earned a break on her first opportunity. The crucial moment came when the Czech held nine break points in a marathon service game that could have levelled the set at 3-3 and dramatically changed the momentum. Swiatek escaped that danger, steadied herself immediately afterwards, and remained in control for the rest of the match to book a third-round clash with Viktorija Golubic.
Kostyuk storms past Sebov after dramatic first set
Marta Kostyuk def. Katherine Sebov 7-6(4), 6-0
Kostyuk had to survive a major scare before producing one of the most convincing finishes of the day against Canadian wild card Katherine Sebov. The Ukrainian looked in trouble for much of the opening set, falling behind by a double break and watching Sebov serve for the set at 5-4 in front of the home crowd. The Canadian played with freedom and confidence, forcing Kostyuk to constantly defend from behind.
The momentum changed completely once Kostyuk fought her way into the tiebreak. She became far more aggressive from the baseline, dictated the key exchanges, and took the breaker with authority.
From that point onward the match was entirely one-sided, with the Ukrainian winning seven consecutive games and sealing a 6-0 second set. The victory sends her into a blockbuster third-round meeting with 19th seed Madison Keys.
Gibson stuns Chwalińska with dominant finish
Talia Gibson def. Maja Chwalińska 7-5, 6-1
Gibson produced one of the day’s notable upsets by defeating Chwalińska in straight sets, extending the Polish player’s difficult return to competition after Wimbledon. Chwalińska was playing only her second tournament since reaching the Roland Garros final two months earlier and appeared well positioned early in the match after taking a break advantage in the opening set.
The Australian gradually turned the contest around with disciplined baseline tennis and far greater consistency in the closing stages of the opener. After recovering from a break down, Gibson won 10 of the final 12 games and completely took over the match, repeatedly exposing Chwalińska’s errors and lack of rhythm. The victory sends world No. 74 Gibson into the next round with significant momentum and confidence.
Sabalenka settles after shaky start to advance comfortably
Aryna Sabalenka def. Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-3
Sabalenka began her Toronto campaign with a straight-sets victory over world No. 111 Uchijima, although the match was less straightforward than the final scoreline suggests. The Japanese qualifier broke immediately to start the match and briefly disrupted the rhythm of the world No. 1, who looked unusually erratic in the opening games before finding her range.
Once Sabalenka recovered the break, she quickly reasserted control, winning five consecutive games to take the opening set 6-3. The second set turned into a battle of breaks, with the Belarusian twice giving away an advantage before finally stabilising her serve in the sixth game and moving ahead for good. From there she became increasingly dominant, tightening up her shot selection and closing out the match convincingly to continue her strong hard-court campaign.
Keys powers through Ružić to set up Kostyuk showdown
Madison Keys def. Antonia Ružić 6-1, 6-2
Keys produced an impressive performance in her opening match in Toronto, showing the level that made her the 2025 Australian Open champion. The American broke early in both sets and quickly established control, repeatedly putting pressure on Ružić’s serve and preventing the Croatian from building any sustained momentum throughout the contest.
Although Ružić briefly threatened to make the second set competitive by earning a break, her struggles behind the second serve proved decisive. She won only 25 percent of her second-serve points, allowing Keys to attack aggressively on return and dictate the majority of the rallies. The American closed out the match with authority and now advances to one of the standout third-round matchups against Marta Kostyuk.
Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist
Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.
Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.
He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.
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