Elena Rybakina beats Coco Gauff to reach Canadian Open final

Elena Rybakina celebrates her win over Coco Gauff during National Bank Open tennis tournament in Toronto on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

TORONTO–Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina delivered another gutsy comeback, beating fourth-seeded Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to reach Thursday’s final at the Canadian Open in Toronto.

She set up a title showdown with Iga Swiatek, who outlasted Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 on Wednesday in the hard court warm-up for the US Open.

Former world number one Swiatek, seeded seventh, is in her first final of the year, having last lifted a trophy in Seoul almost a year ago.

Rybakina, who also rallied from a set down to beat Naomi Osaka in the quarter-finals, is on the cusp of her third title of the season after her triumph in Melbourne and a trophy in Stuttgart.

Her Canadian run has her inching closer to No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the rankings as the August 31 start of the US Open approaches.

Coco Gauff of the United States reacts while playing against Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan during National Bank Open semi final tennis action in Toronto, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kazakhstan’s Rybakina polished off the victory over Gauff shortly before 1 a.m. local time, taking advantage as the American began to falter in the face of pressure on her serve.

“She served really well in the first set,” Rybakina said. “It was pretty close the first one, and then I feel like on my serve I rushed a little bit in the end.

“I knew that I need to start straight away the second set well. I’m happy that I did a couple of good returns, and then things turned around.”

While Rybakina had to battle past Osaka to reach the semis, Gauff had advanced via a walkover. But Rybakina said the hard work may have helped her.

“I guess the adrenaline and so many hours on the court helped a bit,” she said. “In the third set also, few moments I felt like I was just swinging, and some crazy return at 30-all, and it went my way.

“So, I got my opportunities, I took them.”