Iga Swiatek has clinched her first WTA title of the season, triumphing over Elena Rybakina in straight sets in the Canadian Open final on Thursday. The six-time Grand Slam winner, aged 25, secured a 6-2 6-3 victory against world number two Rybakina in Toronto.
Swiatek broke Rybakina's serve twice in the opening set, which saw Rybakina, 27, make 12 unforced errors. The Polish player then won five of the final six games in the second set to seal her 26th career title in one hour and 15 minutes.
Following this win, Swiatek will re-enter the top five in the rankings. She expressed her happiness, stating, "It means so, so much to me because the past months were not easy." Swiatek also noted the challenge of dealing with external criticism while working on her game, adding, "It's not easy to deal with all of that."
In the men's final, Ben Shelton successfully defended his Canadian Open title. The 23-year-old American defeated compatriot Brandon Nakashima 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in an all-American final, marking his second consecutive win at the tournament.
Meanwhile, Great Britain's Katie Boulter achieved her first career win at the Cincinnati Open, beating American Katie Volynets 7-5 0-6 6-4 in the first round. Boulter, 30, is set to face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the second round.