Iga Świątek holds off Elina Svitolina to earn shot at first WTA Tour title of year

TORONTO — Iga Świątek finally has a chance to get on the board with her first WTA Tour win of 2026.

The world No. 8 and six-time Grand Slam champion will play for the Canadian Open title on Thursday after outlasting Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, on Wednesday night in a match that was delayed by more than an hour due to rain.

Świątek lost her two previous matches to Svitolina this year. But she turned the tables under the lights at Sobeys Stadium and is now one match away from her first WTA Tour title this year.

Świątek didn’t waste time settling into the match. In her first service game, she saved a break point with a backhand winner. That set the tone for the night. Svitolina, who was hitting the ball flat with pace, was often on her back foot. She couldn’t handle the depth and spin of Świątek’s shots, resulting in many groundstrokes sailing long or wide.

Svitolina only held serve twice in a 47-minute first set, with Świątek punishing the ball off the return on her way to a comfortable win.

Świątek’s momentum didn’t last long, however. Svitolina began to miss fewer shots, while continuing to play aggressively. The heavy conditions at night started to play in Svitolina’s favor. She could extend the rallies with her court coverage and consistency from the baseline. This bothered Świątek, who saw her unforced errors increase. Svitolina conceded just one game in the second set, leveling the match and forcing a deciding third, as the Ukrainian supporters cheered “Let’s go Elina!” in unison.

The high level of play continued in the third set. Both players were hitting big, serving solidly and retrieving balls in difficult spots. At 3-3, it felt like anyone’s match. But with Świątek leading 4-3, she used that moment to pounce. Svitolina made unforced errors on her serve and double-faulted while being broken at love. Świątek held serve to secure the win, advancing to her first Tour-level final of 2026.

Świątek will face the winner of Coco Gauff and world No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the final as she looks to notch her 12th career WTA 1000 title.

This story will be updated.