Canadian Open Toronto WTA Quarter-Finals Round-Up | Coco Gauff gets walkover as Rybakina rallies past Osaka

Wednesday, 12 August 2026 at 04:17

The Canadian Open Toronto semifinal lineup took shape with Coco Gauff advancing without taking the court after Belinda Bencic withdrew due to a hip injury. Elena Rybakina then completed a comeback against Naomi Osaka in a three-set battle, keeping her push for the No. 1 ranking alive and securing a place in the last four.

Gauff will now face Rybakina for a place in the final, setting up another high-profile clash between two of the tournament's leading contenders. While Gauff benefited from Bencic's withdrawal, Rybakina had to overcome a difficult start against Osaka and save four break points from 0-40 in the third set before turning the match around and advancing.

Gauff advances to Toronto semifinals after Bencic withdrawal

Belinda Bencic w/o Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff advanced to the Canadian Open Toronto semifinals without taking the court after Belinda Bencic withdrew because of a hip injury. The Swiss, ranked No. 14 in the world, was forced to pull out with the US Open approaching at the end of the month, handing Gauff another deep run at WTA 1000 level without having to spend any additional energy on court.

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The American has now reached the semifinals at four of the seven WTA 1000 events she has played this season. Gauff's best results came with runner-up finishes in Miami and Rome, while she also reached the last four in Dubai, underlining her consistency across the biggest events on the WTA calendar.

The walkover also gives Gauff another significant milestone at just 22 years old. She has now reached her 16th WTA 1000 semifinal, having already won three titles at this level during her career. She also owns a 6-2 record against Bencic, including victories over the Swiss in the fourth round at Wimbledon and the quarter-finals in Miami earlier this season.

Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates during her match against Alina Korneeva during round of 16 National Bank Open

Gauff will now face Naomi Osaka for a place in the Toronto final after the Japanese star eliminated second seed Elena Rybakina in straight sets. The semifinal will give Gauff another opportunity to extend her strong record at WTA 1000 events and move one step closer to another major title.

Osaka knocks out Rybakina to reach Toronto semifinals

Naomi Osaka def. Elena Rybakina 6-4, 7-5

Naomi Osaka made the ideal start, taking her first break opportunity to move ahead early in the opening set and immediately putting pressure on Rybakina's serve. The Kazakh had an immediate opportunity to respond in the following game, but Osaka was impeccable in the key points and refused to give the break back.

From there, both players became increasingly consistent behind their serves, with neither creating another break opportunity for the remainder of the set. Osaka ultimately made the early advantage count, winning 65% of her service points compared with 63% for Rybakina to take the opener 6-4.

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The second set initially followed a more chaotic pattern, with both players exchanging breaks early. Osaka capitalized whenever Rybakina's level dipped, using her aggressive return game to secure a second consecutive break and move back in front. Rybakina, however, responded at a crucial moment, recovering the break to level the set at 4-4.

Both players then held serve to force a tiebreak, where Rybakina remained in front throughout and maintained her composure in the key moments to close it out 7-6(5) and force a deciding set.

Elena Rybakina raises her arm to greet the audience

The third set remained tightly contested, with neither player able to establish a clear advantage through the opening games. The sixth game proved pivotal, however, as Rybakina showed remarkable resilience to escape from a 0-40 deficit and save four break points, holding serve to stay level. The Kazakh immediately turned that momentum into an opportunity on Osaka's serve, securing the decisive break moments later to move ahead.

Rybakina then raised her level when it mattered most, protecting the advantage through the closing games and completing the comeback with a 6-4 deciding-set victory. The win sends the two-time Grand Slam champion into the Canadian Open semifinals and keeps her firmly in the hunt for the No. 1 ranking. She will next face Coco Gauff for a place in the final.

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Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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