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 Thursday after outlasting Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, on Wednesday night in a match that was delayed more than an hour because of rain.
Świątek lost her two previous matches to Svitolina this year, both in three sets, but she turned the tables under the lights at Sobeys Stadium and is now one victory from her first WTA Tour title this year.
“A tough match,” Świątek said. “Against Elina, it’s always tough, so I’m happy that I won this one.”
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 held serve only twice in a 47-minute first set, with Świątek punishing the ball off the return on her way to a comfortable win. Świątek won 56.3 percent of points off the return in the first set.
Iga Świątek, right, won only one game in the second set but controlled the third in her semifinal win over Elina Svitolina. (Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
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, whose unforced errors increased.
In the second set, Świątek won 50 percent of first-serve points and just 2 on her second, speaking to Svitolina’s aggressiveness from the baseline. Svitolina conceded just one game in the second set, leveling the match as Ukrainian supporters cheered “Let’s go, Elina!” in unison.
“I think I let her play her game a little bit because I sometimes play too short,” Świątek said about Svitolina’s climbing back into the match. “The balls were not that heavy from my side, so I just needed to put even more energy if I wanted to play better in the third.
“In the second, they were sometimes falling short, sometimes the approach shots were not enough. It was just about the quality, and I knew I can improve it.”
Świątek knew the third set wasn’t going to be easy, but she focused on increasing her quality rather than tactical adjustments.
“Tactics can’t do much if you’re just not hitting the ball right. I knew I can do it, because I did it in the first set. I had it in me, I just needed to find the right rhythm.”
The high level of play continued in the third set. Both players were hitting big, serving solidly and retrieving balls in difficult spots. Świątek’s serve improved from the second set. She won 62.5 percent of first-serve points in the final set, finding her spots, which allowed her to control the rallies. Swiatek also showed a willingness to come to the net in the final set to prevent Svitolina from being comfortable at the baseline. She immediately broke back after Svitolina went up a break 3-2, showcasing the fortitude that made her such a challenging player to beat when she was world No. 1 in 2022 and 2023.
At 3-3, it felt like anyone’s match, but leading 4-3, Świątek used that moment to pounce. Svitolina made unforced errors during her service game and double-faulted while being broken at love. Leading 5-3 and serving for the match, Świątek closed out the win, pumping her fist as Polish supporters yelled “Iga, Iga” and waved Poland flags.
“I’m happy that I was patient enough and didn’t get disappointed or didn’t give up, and just found a way to play better in the third,” Świątek said.
In her first tour-level final of 2026, Świątek will face world No. 2 Elena Rybakina as she looks to notch her 12th career WTA 1000 title.