Iga Świątek avoids upset in gritty 3-set win over Marta Kostyuk at Canadian Open

TORONTO — After winning just one point on serve in the first set, Iga Świątek rallied to defeat Marta Kostyuk 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the Canadian Open quarterfinals Saturday afternoon.

This marks the six-time Slam champion’s fourth quarterfinal appearance at a WTA 1000 in 2026, as she continues to search for her first title of the year.

Both players were tight out of the gate. It was their first meeting since the French Open round of 16, when Kostyuk beat Świątek in straight sets 7-5, 6-1. The opening set featured a pile of unforced errors and breaks of serve, and the first four games were breaks. The entire set featured a combined seven service breaks, with Świątek unable to hold.

Świątek’s lone point on serve in the first set came in her opening service game, when Kostyuk sailed a forehand long. Otherwise, Kostyuk dominated on the return with powerful groundstrokes. Świątek couldn’t respond to Kostyuk’s pace, resulting in a lack of control in her shots. The errors consisted of shots long, wide or in the net. Serving down 3-4, Świątek double-faulted, paving the way for Kostyuk’s fourth break and ultimately the first set. Świątek was 1-for-11 in first-serve points won and 0-for-6 in second-serve points.

After Świątek left the court to regroup, the match shifted. Świątek’s first-serve percentage remained the same (64.7 percent), but this time, more landed in (11 in the first compared to 22 in the second). Świątek struggled to place her serve in the first set, but it was nearly unreturnable in the final two. Up a break 2-0 in the second set, Świątek hit a body serve that Kostyuk couldn’t handle. The precision Świątek brought to her shots could not be said for Kostyuk. The mistakes piled up for the Ukrainian, the aggressiveness leading to balls sailing long or wide.

Świątek closed out the second set serving 5-1. She staved off three break points before holding serve to win the set. On the second break point, Świątek displayed her trademark movement, extending the rally at the net and forcing Kostyuk to sail a forehand long. The third break point saw Świątek wind up and blast a forehand winner down the line.

Kostyuk couldn’t slow the Świątek surge in the third set. The punishing shots from the first set became unforced errors in the third. Świątek wasn’t missing, continuing to blast groundstrokes with depth. Świątek opened the final set by breaking Kostyuk’s serve and didn’t give up the lead.

Even when Kostyuk threatened with a break point chance down 1-4, Świątek relied on her serve to get out of trouble. She forced Kostyuk out wide with a kick serve, opening up the court before delivering a blazing down-the-line winner. Świątek held serve to go up 5-1, en route to winning the match.

After winning one point on serve in the first set, Świątek closed out the match with a gutsy service hold. She staved off a Kostyuk break point with a backhand winner down the line. On the sixth match point, Świątek fired an unreturnable second serve that Kostyuk blasted into the net. Świątek jumped and fist-pumped to her box in celebration amid “Iga, Iga!” chants from the rowdy Polish fans at Sobeys Stadium.

This was Świątek’s 24th match win of the year. After winning Wimbledon last year, Świątek’s best result at a Slam in 2026 was when she reached the quarterfinals in Australia. She’s reached just one semifinal at a WTA 1000 this year, losing to Elina Svitolina at the Italian Open.

With Saturday’s win, Świątek is one win away from another WTA 1000 semifinal. She will play Diana Shnaider in the Canadian Open quarterfinals.

Świątek showed she can raise her level in clutch moments during her 125-week stint as world No. 1. After opening her Canadian Open campaign with two comfortable victories, she again showed resolve with a gritty performance as she looks to regain her dominant form.