WTA Schedule/Preview Day Five 2023 Canadian Open Montreal including Swiatek-Collins and Pegula-Gauff
WTA
The semi-finals should be confirmed on Friday at the 2023 Canadian Open (Omnium Banque Nationale) as rain delays threatened the tournament. But the schedule is set and our preview runs you through the main Canadian Open talking points.
Intermittent rain delays saw two matches in particular cancelled for the day with four players set to contest two matches on Friday.
Sabalenka/Samsonova and Bencic-Kvitova set to be concluded
Starting off proceedings on the main court and second show court are Aryna Sabalenka v Liudmila Samsonova and Belinda Bencic facing Petra Kvitova.
Two ties that fell fowl to rain delays and were the only two not completed on a night which could've seen all not played initially.
But they will begin and will then play the penultimate Quarter-Final on the main Court Central (IGA Stadium).
Swiatek-Collins and Pegula-Gauff to headline
In between those though are the two headline ties of the Quarter-Finals as Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff who will also be in Quarter-Final action in the women's doubles straight after will become enemies on the court.
Good friends of course on and off the court due to their doubles partnership, it will be a third meeting between the pair and a second of the year.
Their first of 2023 saw Gauff take it in the Quarter-Finals of Eastbourne comprehensively on a week that Madison Keys ruled the roost. Their only other meeting saw Pegula win in Dubai on the hard courts 6-4, 6-4.
It is a new impetus though this season for Gauff who has employed former Andre Agassi coach, Brad Gilbert and looks rejuvenated and won Washington last week. Jessica Pegula on the other hand has just been the model of consistency all year, but similar to Maria Sakkari albeit without the first round losses sprinkled in, she has yet to add the titles which have came with this consistency. Can she do it this week or will she run into Gauff again?
Read also
From consistency to the top player in the tour and one that has struggled to string matches together. Iga Swiatek and Danielle Collins follow on.
Swiatek saw off Karolina Muchova avoiding rain delays to return and move through, while Collins took down Leylah Fernandez.
The queen of come on as the official Twitter account dubbed Collins, she has come through qualifying all the way to the latter stages after having a stop start time of it on the tour since reaching the Australian Open final.
She defeated Swiatek en route to winning that in her sole win over the Pole who leads 2-1 in their Head to Head. As ever with Collins, it is drama personified with the American firmly leaving it all on the court.
Getting into a highly documented 'shut your mouth' off with Maria Sakkari in a game which promised so much due to their on court personas, she won't get that with Swiatek.
Swiatek is very regimented and even carries a notebook on the court to study tactics mid match. But as seen by a shaky tie against Muchova, she can be vulnerable and given Collins' consistent match form and showing why she is a Grand Slam finalist, it could prove to be the World Number One's toughest test to date.
Read also
Questions swell around Rybakina, can Kasatkina take advantage?
Finally after the priorly discussed second match in a day for two of four, it will be Elena Rybakina who struggled with her shoulders against Sloane Stephens facing Daria Kasatkina.
Rybakina still won 6-3, 6-3 but there are doubts swelling (pardon the pun) about the World Number Four and Kasatkina will look to take advantage.
This was evidenced with her tie against Jennifer Brady being two points away from defeat. The American is a quality operator but one who has been off tour for over two years. Albeit the Kazakh has gone from being unstoppable to fragile with illness preventing her from playing at her best.
It could simply have been fatigue against Stephens but the proof will be in the pudding against a rock solid Kasatkina. Anna Blinkova, Elise Mertens and Marie Bouzkova have fell to the World Number 14 and she holds a 2-1 Head to Head over Rybakina. Albeit one every year since 2020 and both are very different players since then. But some questions will be answered.
2023 Canadian Open Montreal WTA Schedule
Day Five
Court Central (starts at 12:00pm local time)
Liudmila Samsonova (15) v Aryna Sabalenka (Last 16)
Jessica Pegula [4] (USA) v Coco Gauff [6] (USA) - Quarter-Final
Iga Swiatek [1] (POL} v Danielle Collins (Q) (USA)
Samsonova/Sabalenka v Bencic/Kvitova - Quarter-Final
Daria Kasatkina (10) v Elena Rybakina [3] (KAZ)
Court Rogers (Starts at 12:00pm)
Petra Kvitova [7] (CZE) v Belinda Bencic [12] (SWI) - Last 16
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- I, like writer of this wonderful article, also picked Noskova to win this entire thing. I would love it if she and Andreeva are in the final.Rapunzel12-11-2026
- "Priorities", Saba... spend less time in front of cameras, anti-Social Media, selfies and back to Tennis.
mandoist12-11-2026 - Tell this to Andreeva!mandoist12-11-2026
- Andreeva with 11 games in a row to add to Saba's downward spiral issue !!! Personal feelings aside... Jess Pegula may want to reassess her evaluation of Mirra's abilities.mandoist12-11-2026
- I predicted whenthe list was finalised that Linda Noskova would win the WTA Finals and her matches against Gauff and Kostyuk prove that. She is the best (underrated) player in the world!Rapunzel11-11-2026
- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.mandoist09-11-2026
- Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!mandoist09-11-2026
- "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?mandoist09-11-2026
- Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.mandoist08-11-2026
- Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??mandoist08-11-2026
