TORONTO: Iga Swiatek rallied from a break down in the deciding set to beat Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 at the Canadian Open on Wednesday, securing her place in a final for the first time this season at the U.S. Open tune-up event in Toronto.
Swiatek, who won one of her six Grand Slam titles in Flushing Meadows in 2022, secured the rain-delayed first set before Svitolina turned the tables and broke the Pole twice in a one-sided second frame.
Svitolina broke to grab a 3-2 lead in the decider but former world number one Swiatek reeled off the final four games to claim victory.
“After that second set I knew I had to do everything I could to get my rhythm and my game back,” she told.
“It’s not easy to do that during a match - to keep your calm and your composure and follow the plan. I’m happy in the third set I did that and it paid off in the end. I didn’t doubt myself.”
Swiatek will face Elena Rybakina in the final.
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan beat fourth-seeded Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 in the other semifinal.
Gauff secured the only break of the first set in the 12th game to claim it 7-5 before Rybakina bounced back to take the next two sets for the loss of just four games, winning in two hours. Agencies
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