The Canadian Open would be the first of the WTA 1000 occasions within the construct as much as the 2023 US Open and on Saturday the draw for the ladies’s singles occasion in Montreal was introduced because the ‘Massive Three’ – World No.1 Iga Swiatek, No.2 Aryna Sablalenka and No.3 Elena Rybakina – discovered their paths. Essentially the most vital a part of the draw was nonetheless the inclusion of former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, who will kick begin her comeback marketing campaign on the WTA tour after having introduced her retirement in 2020.
Repeat of French Open ultimate on playing cards; give attention to Wozniacki
Contemporary off her title win in Warsaw, Swiatek heads to Canadian Open for her first ever look within the Montreal version of it together with her world No.1 rating underneath menace. In a event the place she has by no means made it previous the third spherical, each in Toronto in 2019 and 2022, Swiatek must no less than attain the quarters to maintain her rating in tact. Upon failure, she would solely hope that Sabalenka doesn’t emerge because the title winner on the finish of subsequent week in Canada.
The Pole will start her marketing campaign in opposition to former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova or China’s Lin Zhu within the second spherical earlier than presumably working into Karolina Muchova within the subsequent spherical in a repeat of the French Open ultimate earlier in June.
She additionally faces attainable menace from Mari Sakkari within the quarters, however the eighth seed must overcome a troublesome couple of days in Montreal with a probable assembly in opposition to Wimbledon semifinalist Elina Svitolina within the second spherical adopted by one between eleventh seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, Spain’s Paula Badosa or former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez ready within the third spherical.
The primary attraction of the draw was nonetheless Wozniacki, who shall be taking part in her first ever event since saying her retirement three years again. The previous Australian Open winner has been handed a wild card within the occasion and can open her marketing campaign in opposition to a qualifier earlier than working into newly-crowned Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondroušová within the second spherical adopted by sixth seed Coco Gauff.
This part of the draw additionally consists of world No.4 Jessica Pegula, who made the Citi Open semis. She might possible run into compatriot Madison Keys, who shall be up in opposition to wild card entrant and seven-time Grand Slam singles winner Venus Williams.
One other powerful draw for Rybakina
The world No.3 has been handed one other troublesome draw as she is going to open her marketing campaign within the second spherical in opposition to the winner of former Grand Slam winner Jelena Ostapenko and comeback-bound American Jennifer Brady, who had made the Australian Open ultimate in 2021 earlier than working into one between two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka or former US Open winner Sloane Stephens within the third spherical.
Sabalenka, who can be hoping for the WTA rating crown on the finish of her marketing campaign in Canada or no less than scale back the hole atop within the construct as much as the US Open, will possible start her event in opposition to fifth seed Liudmila Samsonova, who made the Citi Open semis this week earlier than working into Petra Kvitova within the quarters. However the Czech must go previous a troublesome begin to make sure a Sabalenka assembly. She has former US Open winner Bianca Andreescu ready within the second spherical with a attainable third-round match in opposition to twelfth seed Belinda Bencic.
