Day Two of the 2023 Canadian Open (National Bank Open) is here in Montreal with the Schedule now confirmed and only a few ties left to conclude from the rain delay-filled opening day.

As ever TennisUpToDate will preview the action from the Omnique Banque Nationale with Caroline Wozniacki set for her return after three years, Elena Rybakina begins her campaign, and Canadian duo, Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez are both involved.

Read also

2023 Canadian Open Prize Money and Points Breakdown ATP and WTA with $9,388,468 overall

Collins v Svitolina, Fernandez, Vondrousova and Wozniacki set for Day Session

The Day Session in particular at the Canadian Open is packed out with top matches which all begins at 11:00am local time.

Karolina Muchova, Roland Garros finalist begins against Anastasia Potapova.

Before Danielle Collins who had to come through qualifying such has been the stop-start nature of her career and intermittent form will face a player who has fired straight back into form.

That being Elina Svitolina who will aim to continue the so called Summer of Svitolina after reaching the Quarter-Finals or better in all main tournaments in her return barring Birmingham.

Also set are 15th seed, Liudmila Samsonova and an intriguing tie between two ever rising talents in Marta Kostyuk and Qinwen Zheng.

Read also

Tennis fans left confused by Osaka comments at having a kid being a career ender, citing Azarenka, Serena Williams and Elina Svitolina

But two matches, in particular, stand out starting at 12:30 pm. Those being Leylah Fernandez who will aim to anchor home hopes after an encouraging run in Washington facing rising American star, Peyton Stearns.

Before the return for the first time in three years of former World No.1 and Australian Open champion, Caroline Wozniacki.

Wozniacki has been heavily praised for showing fellow WTA players that returning after a baby can be done. Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina in particular as well as Iga Swiatek have praised her in pre-tournament press.

Read also

"I felt like ‘Ok, you can have a private life, have kids, & come back," Sabalenka believes Wozniacki coming back is important and inspiring for women's tennis

But she will now hope to let the racquet do the talking. She has employed her old hitting partner again and has also been practicing with Denmark's top male player in Holger Rune.

She also took in practice sets with Simona Halep and Donna Vekic, with one unnamed out the two being a crushing win for Wozniacki. It is like sparring in boxing though, it is all on the night.

She faces Kimberly Birrell in the opening round which she will expect to win. But the second round opponent could be Marketa Vondrousova.

Wozniacki won't know until at least after 4:30pm local time who that will be with Vondrousova slated to play Mayar Sherif who herself has been in good form as of late.

Read also

"Women's tennis is not for failed male athletes": Martina Navratilova criticises USTA as transgender player Alicia Rowley wins national tournament

Packed Evening Session featuring Brady-Rybakina, Andreescu, Azarenka and Garcia

The Afternoon session is packed enough until it gets to the evening with four matches from 7:00 pm catching the eye.

It begins with the second part of the initial advertised double bill as Bianca Andreescu takes to the court where she won in 2019 to face Camila Giorgi, also a previous winner in Montreal.

Andreescu has said at times recently that she feels like she did in 2019 and will hope that proves to be the case this week.

Read also

"He’s from Spain, we’re working on his English": Gauff explains meaning of 'external focus' in player box with reference to Rafael Nadal

Following that is Caroline Garcia, the fifth seed facing Marie Bouzkova. Both played out an utter epic at Wimbledon.

But one that saw Garcia grab the impetus prior to a rain delay which then saw Bouzkova reclaim it under the roof. The Frenchwoman will hope the clouds don't come in this time.

Following that are two players who technically will play two days running albeit they will be played in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Europe.

Those being Victoria Azarenka and Jennifer Brady who came through opening day wins. Next up for the former is Sloane Stephens.

While for Brady on her return to a WTA 1000, she follows one former Grand Slam champion in Jelena Ostapenko with another in Elena Rybakina.

Rybakina hasn't played since losing to Ons Jabeur at Wimbledon and will hope to be back to 100% after recent illness concerns. But she has been away holidaying in Sardinia before having a training block in Slovakia.

Read also

(VIDEO) Rybakina ends holiday, training in Slovakia ahead of return to action during US Open swing

So should be sharp, but Brady can only get better after a few years off the court and playing recently for around a month non-stop after her comeback was halted multiple times.

This could prove as a result to be an entertaining clash between a player hoping to get back to the top and one firmly in the so-called Big Three.

Day Two Schedule - 2023 Canadian Open Montreal

Starts at 11:00am

Anastasia Potapova v Karolina Muchova [14] (CZE)
Danielle Collins (USA) v Elina Svitolina (UKR)
Bernarda Pera (USA) v Yulia Putintseva (KAZ)
Anna Blinkova v Shuai Zhang (CHI)
Alycia Parks (USA) v Lauren Davis (USA)
Liudmila Samsonova [15] v Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) v Qinwen Zheng (CHI)
Petra Martic (CRO) v Lesia Tsurenko (UKR)

Starts at 12:30pm

Leylah Fernandez (CAN) v Peyton Stearns (USA)
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) v Kimberly Birrell (AUS)

Starts at 1:00pm

Beatriz Haddad Maia [11] (BRA) v Magdalena Frech (POL)
Elise Mertens v Daria Kasatkina [10]

Starts at 4:30pm

Marketa Vondrousova [9] (CZE) v Mayar Sherif (EGY)

Starts at 7:00pm

Camila Giorgi (ITA) v Bianca Andreescu (CAN)
Caroline Garcia [5] (FRA) v Marie Bouzkova (CZE)
Victoria Azarenka [16] v Sloane Stephens (USA)
Jennifer Brady (USA) v Elena Rybakina [3] (KAZ)

Bianca

@Bandreescu_

·Follow

Mtl love 💖 @OBNmontreal

1.5K

Reply

Copy link

Read 25 replies