Well that was quite the (wet) day – but we did it! 😮💨 Check out today's Peroni Nastro Azzurro Refresh for a recap of a packed Thursday schedule that persevered through the rain: bit.ly/3qkwPy3
WTA Schedule/Preview Day Five 2023 Canadian Open Montreal including Swiatek-Collins and Pegula-Gauff
WTAFriday, 11 August 2023 at 11:55
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?
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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.
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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
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