The
schedule/preview is set for Day Three of the 2023
Canadian Open (Omnique Banque Nationale) in Montreal which sees
Iga Swiatek begin her campaign finally.
As well as
Aryna Sabalenka with
Elena Rybakina also looking to complete her tie with Jennifer Brady albeit heading into a tie-break.
As ever, we run through all the main talking points in the Day Three
preview for the Canadian Open.
Swiatek starts against a familiar foe, Rybakina looks to avert Brady scare
Iga Swiatek will face a familiar foe albeit earlier than expected in Canada. Karolina Pliskova is now unseeded and had to start in the opening round against Lin Zhu making her a danger to the top names.
She will hope to do that against the World Number One. Albeit a player who she holds a horrific record against with two (technically three including walk-overs) against.
The last tie was in Stuttgart earlier this year in a start that would've given Pliskova solace. She won the opening set after previously being crushed in the Rome final of 2021 against Swiatek.
But Swiatek swept her aside from there and her other loss came technically in Dubai with a walk-over to the semi-finals for the Pole. One of only a few players that have been in action during the post Wimbledon break, Swiatek won the Warsaw Open a few weeks ago so will be likely the most confident of the big names coming into this week.
Elena Rybakina could yet find that the rain delay worked in her favour. Sat 6-6 in the opening set against Jennifer Brady, she will return later on Wednesday to complete it.
A day of rain delays and withdrawals, Rybakina who is third seed this week will be second up to complete that. Other ties on the main court include Beatriz Haddad Maia facing a rejuvenated Leylah Fernandez. Petra Kvitova also faces Camila Giorgi, presumably in a slot kept for Bianca Andreescu till she lost to the latter on Day Two.
Sabalenka, Gauff/Pegula, Vondrousova-Wozniacki among pick of the rest
Similar to the ATP slate, it is a great day of action all round with Court Rogers starting with
Coco Gauff after she won in Washington, she will face Katie Boulter.
Jessica Pegula then takes on Yulia Putintseva to begin her campaign before the clash of the most recent Grand Slam champion and a returning one.
Marketa Vondrousova kept to her side of the bargain yesterday with the Wimbledon winner seeing off Mayar Sherif in her first match since winning at SW19.
But faces next up a certain
Caroline Wozniacki who looked like she had never been away at times against Kimberly Birrell on the opening day. A true gauge of where her game is at and whether this week at least, she will be a woman to be feared.
That is third up on Court Rogers before Danielle Collins faces
Maria Sakkari in a tie likely to be dominated by a lot of celebrations and shouting with both not leaving their cards too close to their chest.
Neither does Aryna Sabalenka and she is on the main show court before Kvitova-Giorgi facing Petra Martic. The World Number Two like Rybakina playing for the first time since Wimbledon.
Other players in action include Belinda Bencic, Liudmila Samsonova, Daria Kasatkina and Karolina Muchova in a stacked day ahead in Montreal.
Schedule Day Three - Canadian Open WTA
Court Central (starts at 12:30pm)
Iga Swiatek [1] (POL) v Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
Jennifer Brady (USA) v Elena Rybakina (KAZ) - suspended at 6-6
Beatriz Haddad Maia [11] (BRA) v Leylah Fernandez (CAN)
Petra Martic (CRO) v Aryna Sabalenka [2]
Petra Kvitova [7] (CZE) v Camila Giorgi (ITA)
Court Rogers (starts at 11:00am)
Katie Boulter (GBR) v Coco Gauff [6] (USA)
Jessica Pegula [4] (USA) v Yulia Putintseva (KAZ)
Marketa Vondrousova [9] (CZE) v Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
Danielle Collins (USA) v Maria Sakkari [8] (GRE)
Court 9 (starts at 11:00am)
Alycia Parks (USA) v Belinda Bencic [12] (SWI)
Anna Blinkova v Daria Kasatkina [10]
Court 5 (starts at 12:30pm)
Liudmila Samsonova [15] v Qinwen Zheng (CHN)
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) v Karolina Muchova [14] (CZE)