Following two tournaments in the United States, the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz heads north to neighboring Canada for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Toronto.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It’s the first of two back-to-back WTA 1000 events during the Hard-Court Swing, and several stars will play in their first event since Wimbledon including World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Elena Rybakina. As the tournament alternates every year between Toronto and Montreal, the tour returns to Ontario for the first time in two years.<\/p>\n
Here is everything you need to know about Toronto:<\/p>\n
What are the dates for each round?<\/p>\n
Main-draw play from Toronto begins Sunday, August 2 and will end the following Thursday, August 13, with the doubles final at 3:30 p.m. local (8:30 p.m. BST) followed by the singles final, not before 6 p.m.<\/p>\n
Here are the dates for each round:<\/p>\n
Singles
First round: August 2-3
Second round: August 4-5
Third round: August 6-7
Fourth round: August 8-9
Quarterfinals: August 10-11
Semifinals: August 12
Final: August 13<\/p>\n
Doubles
First round: August 6-7
Second round: August 8-9
Quarterfinals: August 9-10
Semifinals: August 11-12
Final: August 13<\/p>\n
What is the singles draw and who are some of the stars competing?<\/p>\n
In Toronto, there is a 96-player singles field with the 32 seeds receiving byes into the second round.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabalenka will be a top seed in Toronto for the first time in her career, and is followed by Elena Rybakina and two-time National Bank Open champion Jessica Pegula.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka and Rybakina will begin their Hard-Court Swing seasons in Canada, in addition to Coco Gauff, Roland Garros winner Mirra Andreeva, Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova as those in the top 10.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Elina Svitolina (2017), Belinda Bencic (2015) and wild card Bianca Andreescu (2019) join Pegula as past National Bank Open singles champions in this year’s tournament.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of note, defending champion Victoria Mboko will not compete as a result of a continuing MCL injury on her left knee that will keep her out through the US Open. Wimbledon finalist Karolina Muchova will not be in Toronto after recovering from a small procedure. The Czech is currently scheduled to compete in Cincinnati.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeded players<\/p>\n
Aryna Sabalenka
\nElena Rybakina
\nJessica Pegula
\nCoco Gauff
\nMirra Andreeva
\nLinda Noskova
\nIga Swiatek
\nAmanda Anisimova
\nElina Svitolina\u00a0
\nMarta Kostyuk
\nNaomi Osaka
\nBelinda Bencic\u00a0
\nIva Jovic
\nSorana Cirstea
\nDiana Shnaider\u00a0
\nEkaterina Alexandrova\u00a0
\nAnna Kalinskaya\u00a0
\nMaja Chwalinska
\nMadison Keys
\nElise Mertens
\nMarie Bouzkova
\nBarbora Krejcikova
\nEmma Navarro
\nAnastasia Potapova\u00a0
\nAlexandra Eala\u00a0
\nJelena Ostapenko\u00a0
\nClara Tauson\u00a0
\nAnn Li\u00a0
\nMaria Sakkari\u00a0
\nLeylah Fernandez\u00a0
\nDonna Vekic\u00a0
\nKaterina Siniakova\u00a0<\/p>\n
Draw ceremony: The singles draw ceremony will occur Friday, July 31 at 12 p.m. local time. The doubles draw will be published on Tuesday, August 4.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Singles wild cards: Venus Williams, Bianca Andreescu, Ariana Arseneault, Cadence Brace, Kayla Cross, Rebecca Marino, Katherine Sebov, Carol Zhao<\/p>\n
Withdrawals*: Karolina Muchova, Victoria Mboko, Jasmine Paolini, Emma Raducanu, Jaqueline Cristian, Laura Siegemund, Petra Marcinko<\/p>\n
Moved in*: Renata Zarazua, Eva Lys, Tamara Korpatsch, Taylor Townsend, Alycia Parks, Yulia Putintseva, Wang Xiyu<\/p>\n
Next eight alternates*: Maya Joint, Aoi Ito, Oksana Selekhmeteva, Darja Vidmanova, Sinja Kraus, Tatjana Maria, Emiliana Arango, Alina Korneeva<\/p>\n