By Kwame Bediako
Iga Swiatek has captured her first title of the 2026 season by beating Elena Rybakina 6-2, 6-3 in the Canadian Open final in Toronto. The victory ends an 11-month wait for a tour-level trophy for the six-time Grand Slam champion and gives her a confidence boost ahead of the US Open.
Dominant performance in Toronto
Swiatek was sharp and clinical throughout the final, breaking Rybakina early and never facing a break point in the second set as she wrapped up the match in just over an hour. It was the 13th meeting between the pair, with the head-to-head now tied after they had split their previous 12 encounters.
Swiatek: “It means so much”
The Pole said the win carries extra significance after a difficult period. “It means so, so much to me because the past months were not easy,” Swiatek said. “I’m really happy that I kept focusing on growing, changing my game a little bit, improving despite all the opinions that many people have about me every day on the internet.”
Shelton retains men’s crown
On the men’s side, American Ben Shelton successfully defended his Canadian Open title with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over fellow American Brandon Nakashima in Montreal. Shelton became only the seventh man in the Open Era to win back-to-back Canadian Open titles, extending his perfect head-to-head record against Nakashima to 6-0
