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This content was machine-translated from the French version.
The WTA 1000 in Toronto kicks off its second day this Tuesday, August 4, with a mouth-watering schedule. Aryna Sabalenka, world number one, and Iga Swiatek, four-time Roland-Garros champion, make their entrance on the Canadian hard courts. A first round that sets the tone for one of the most competitive draws of the summer on fast surfaces.
The queen of the circuit lands in Canada
The Belarusian swept Indian Wells and Miami in the spring, confirming her overwhelming dominance on the women's circuit.
The number is dizzying. Aryna Sabalenka boasts a record of 23 wins and just one loss in 2026. The Belarusian swept Indian Wells and Miami in the spring, confirming her overwhelming dominance on the women's circuit. In Toronto, she finds a surface that has often suited her aggressive game, built on a massive serve and heavy topspin shots that push her opponents far behind the baseline.
Sabalenka did not set foot on Canadian soil last year. Her return is closely watched, especially since the defending champion, Canada's Victoria Mboko, withdrew before the start of the tournament. The path seems clear, but a WTA 1000 on hard courts rarely offers easy rides.
An armada of champions lying in wait
Behind the world number one, the Toronto field is not short of contenders. Iga Swiatek, now world number four, is looking to relaunch an inconsistent season on hard courts. The Pole has not won a WTA 1000 title in over a year, an eternity for a player of her caliber. Toronto could serve as the ideal launching pad before the US Open.
Elena Rybakina, Wimbledon finalist, Jessica Pegula, always consistent in big North American events, and Coco Gauff complete a top 5 that promises fireworks. Not to mention Canadians Leylah Fernandez and Bianca Andreescu, who will carry the hopes of the local crowd. A US Open finalist in 2021, Fernandez has never gone past the round of 16 in Toronto. A ceiling she intends to shatter.
The August 4 schedule: the headliners in action
Tuesday's lineup puts the favorites in battle order. Sabalenka opens the ball on Center Court in the early afternoon, local time. Swiatek follows right after. Organizers have also scheduled several Canadian duels in the evening, a choice that guarantees an electric atmosphere at Sobeys Stadium and its 12,500 seats.
The WTA 1000 format requires 96 players in singles, a very open draw where surprises can emerge from the first rounds. Qualifying, concluded on Sunday, has already claimed some well-known names. Toronto's playing conditions, with the humid heat typical of August in Ontario, add a significant physical variable for the favorites scheduled to play during the day.
The road to the title also goes through managing timeouts. Between rounds, players will have to cope with a tight schedule and sometimes unpredictable weather. The center court is equipped with a retractable roof, but the outer courts remain exposed.
Toronto launches the last major rehearsal before Flushing Meadows. For Sabalenka, Swiatek, and company, every set played on the Ontario hard courts weighs on the psychological balance three weeks before the season's final Major. The Canadian WTA 1000 is not just a warm-up tournament. It is the barometer of the American summer.
