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The WTA 1000 in Toronto, kicking off the North American hard-court tour, unveiled its final draw on Friday, August 1st. Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Iga Swiatek dominate a field that includes nearly all of the world's top 10. Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka complete the lineup of a tournament that awards 1000 points and effectively launches the preparation for the US Open.
Sabalenka as the boss, Rybakina lying in wait
World number one Aryna Sabalenka approaches Toronto in the skin of a favorite she has worn without trembling since Indian Wells.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka approaches Toronto in the skin of a favorite she has worn without trembling since Indian Wells. Winning back-to-back titles in California and then Miami in the spring, the Belarusian aims for a triple on American hard courts that would crush any contestation. Her striking power and renewed confidence make her the player to eliminate, even if the Centre Court in Toronto has never smiled on her: in three appearances, she has never passed the semifinal stage.
Just behind in the WTA rankings, Elena Rybakina arrives with the status of world number two and a 2026 season that already weighs two titles (Dubai, Stuttgart) and a final at Indian Wells, precisely lost against Sabalenka. The Kazakh's serve and forehand, tailored for the fast Canadian hard courts, make her the main threat to the hierarchy. The memory of the decisive tie-break lost 8-6 in California last March must still burn her fingers.
Swiatek, Gauff, and the chasing pack
Iga Swiatek arrives with more questions than answers. The Pole has not won a WTA 1000 on hard courts since Beijing 2024 and is still looking for the right adjustment since wrist pain disrupted her start to the season. Her Toronto draw offers her no observation round: a possible confrontation with Pegula in the quarterfinals, then Sabalenka in the semifinals, outlines a demanding path for the one who lost the world throne six months ago.
Coco Gauff embodies at 22 years old the option of speed and court coverage. Already two titles in 2026, a topspin forehand that holds up better over the long haul, and physical condition that allows her to keep going without dropping pace. Her quarter of the draw, shared with Naomi Osaka, promises a slugfest if both hold their rank. Osaka makes her return to a WTA 1000 after a maternity break and a few comeback tournaments in half-tone: her serve remains a lethal weapon, her lack of bearings an unknown that the early rounds will clarify.
A final ramp before Flushing Meadows
The Ontario tournament is the first big hard-court test since the March American swing. Top 10 players know that a solid run here can offer a valuable psychological edge before the last Major of the season. Gauff and Pegula, accustomed to long defensive sequences on the surface, will start with a slight adaptation advantage.
The qualifiers, held this weekend, precede the entry of the seeded players starting Monday. The final draw will not just distribute record prize money of over 900,000 Canadian dollars to the winner: it will steer the momentum of the entire top 10 three weeks before the Flushing Meadows draw.