Rybakina outlasts Gauff to reach Toronto final
The Kazakh absorbed an early break then tightened her patterns on the slick hard court, turning a late-night semifinal into a display of controlled power that left the American chasing shadows.
Second-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan beat fourth-seeded Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 early Thursday to reach the National Bank Open final. The 6-foot Kazakh absorbed the opening break, then tightened her first-serve percentage and began landing the heavy crosscourt forehand that pinned her opponent behind the baseline. By the second set the pattern had flipped as Rybakina mixed slice backhands with inside-out drives, forcing extra ground to be covered on the faster surface while crowd noise thinned with the advancing hour.
Rybakina resets after first-set loss
The American’s groundstrokes grew shorter under the sustained tempo, and the 1–2 combination that had worked early lost its sting once the Kazakh began stepping inside the baseline on returns. The rain delay earlier in the evening had already disrupted rhythm; the extended third set only compounded the mental load. Rybakina’s height allowed her to take the ball earlier on return, cutting the time available to set up inside-in angles.
Pressure builds as errors mount
The American’s slice backhand stayed effective but could not generate enough pace to push the taller player off the baseline. Surface considerations mattered too; the quicker courts rewarded the flatter trajectory over heavier topspin loops. Both finalists adjusted their return positions lower to handle the skid, a tactical tweak that shaped the late-night outcome.
Swiatek awaits after grinding out Svitolina
Rybakina will play seventh-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland on Thursday night. Swiatek outlasted ninth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. In that earlier match Swiatek broke at love for a 5-3 lead in the third set, then converted her second match point after jumping ahead 40-0. Swiatek now carries 25 career victories into the final against Rybakina, who finished the night with 13 titles on her resume. Both players must quickly recalibrate for a Thursday-night championship match that starts after another full day of rest that feels anything but restful.