Swiatek’s Canadian Open Journey Halted by Tauson

Iga Swiatek, the Wimbledon champion and second seed, has exited the Canadian Open. She faced a 7-6(1), 6-3 defeat against Clara Tauson of Denmark in the round of 16 on Sunday.

Tauson, aged 22, showcased her impressive skills early on, challenging the Polish Grand Slam winner.

Despite a break in the second set, Tauson maintained composure, securing victory as Swiatek’s backhand hit the net.

The Danish player acknowledged the challenging conditions, stating she remained focused and was pleased with her performance.

“The wind made for tough conditions, but I focused and kept working,” Tauson commented.

Swiatek joins Coco Gauff, who previously lost to Victoria Mboko, in an early exit. Both players will aim to refine their strategies before the U.S. Open later this month. Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, is absent from the Montreal competition.

Tauson, seeded 16th, is set to compete against Madison Keys in the quarterfinals. Keys earned a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic.

Naomi Osaka Advances to Quarterfinals

Naomi Osaka, a former world number one, has also progressed to the quarterfinals, defeating Anastasija Sevastova with a score of 6-1, 6-0.

This marks the first time in 19 months that the Japanese player has reached the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 event.

Osaka mentioned that she felt prepared upon arriving in Montreal. “I came in with a solid strategy, and it played out effectively,” Osaka stated in an interview.

Separately, Alex de Minaur defeated Frances Tiafoe with a score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the men’s tournament in Toronto, securing his place in the quarterfinals.