The prestigious National Bank Open in Montreal ushers in a critical phase of the WTA season with top-tier play as Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff seek to capitalize on their recent Grand Slam triumphs. Swiatek, seeded second, arrives determined to reclaim the No. 1 ranking and to sustain her momentum after clinching her maiden Wimbledon title. Her participation injects significant star power into a draw missing Aryna Sabalenka.

For both Swiatek and Gauff, this tournament represents an opportunity to build towards the final major of the year. Gauff returns to competitive action following an early exit at Wimbledon, where she was defeated by Dayana Yastremska. Both athletes have yet to reach the final at this event, making their campaigns this year particularly important.

Swiatek’s path appears challenging, with possible early encounters against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Clara Tauson, both players enjoying successful seasons. The quarterfinals could see matches against Madison Keys, Belinda Bencic, or Karolina Muchova, with a semifinal potentially setting up a clash with two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula.

Gauff, meanwhile, may face Danielle Collins in an early round, followed by possible matches against Jasmine Paolini, Ekaterina Alexandrova, or Diana Shnaider—the latter having defeated Gauff previously in Montreal. Gauff’s confidence will be closely watched after her breakthrough at Roland Garros and the disappointment at Wimbledon.

Jessica Pegula, seeking a third consecutive title at her near-home event, remains a formidable contender on the fast courts favored by the Buffalo native. Despite some inconsistencies this season, she holds an impressive overall record of 35-14 with three titles and a world ranking of No. 4.

As the 96-player draw unfolds, the Montreal tournament offers an engaging preview of the race to the year’s concluding Grand Slam, highlighting the competitive depth and narratives unique to the WTA tour.

In a challenging year shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, Rafael Nadal’s appearance at the 2021 Citi DC Open marked a significant and memorable moment for the tournament. Mark Ein, tournament director, shared insights about Nadal’s participation and the unique arrangements behind it.

Nadal, recovering from a foot injury that forced him out of Wimbledon, accepted a reduced yet fair appearance fee as the tournament operated under COVID restrictions with only half the stands filled. “His team actually called and said: ‘He wants to play DC, tell us what is fair, and we will take it. He needs to play,'” Ein revealed on the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast.

The tournament, which occupies a difficult spot on the calendar, typically sees Nadal take an extended break after the grass-court Grand Slam. His decision to compete was therefore notable and sparked tremendous interest. Fans eagerly bought out tickets, with a waiting list of 15,000 people. Ein described the atmosphere: “The whole town is buzzing, our community is buzzing… The level of interest in this event [was] unprecedented in our five decades of this tournament.”

Nadal’s matches provided thrilling tennis despite his injury concerns. He edged out Jack Sock in a three-hour battle before falling to Lloyd Harris in the second round. His practice sessions were highly attended, providing essential financial support for the event, which had been canceled in 2020.

In appreciation of Nadal’s trust and the positive impact on the event, Ein later increased his appearance fee beyond the initial offer. “I literally called and just said I am going to give you a meaningful amount more because I want to keep in the spirit of being fair… It was amazing,” Ein said.

Since Nadal’s 2021 participation, the Citi DC Open has expanded its stature, becoming the only joint-500-level tournament on both the ATP and WTA tours, reflecting its growing prestige and appeal.

Dominic Thiem, former world No. 3 and 2020 US Open champion, has praised the elevated level of tennis being set by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The two young stars have dominated Grand Slam finals over recent months, meeting in the championship matches of both the French Open and Wimbledon.

At Roland Garros, Carlos Alcaraz clinched a thrilling victory in a five-hour and 29-minute final, prevailing in a fifth-set tiebreak against Sinner and saving three championship points along the way. This match became the second-longest Grand Slam final in history. Sinner returned the favor at Wimbledon by defeating Alcaraz in four sets, securing his first Wimbledon title and halting Alcaraz’s 24-match winning streak.

Alcaraz leads with five Grand Slam titles to Sinner’s four, and since 2024, they have collectively won seven of the last major tournaments. Currently ranked first and second in the ATP standings, both players hold a considerable advantage over their competitors.

Thiem told Cronache di Tennis, “The finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon were incredible. They raised the level of the sport beyond what we were used to. They’re playing faster and faster, but they’re making fewer and fewer errors and moving better and better.”

Reflecting on the emergence of these talents following the era of the Big Three, Thiem added, “I didn’t expect two more generational talents to come so quickly after the Big Three. And Novak [Djokovic] keeps playing.”

Thiem acknowledged the gap Sinner and Alcaraz have over their rivals, but also recognized the unpredictability of the sport: “Today, they have too much of a lead. But they can also lose: we saw it with Grigor Dimitrov at Wimbledon, or Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper, if they play perfectly.”

He tempered expectations about their potential dominance: “I doubt they will win every Grand Slam tournament in the next ten years, but today they are way ahead of everyone.” Thiem also expressed a wish to have competed against them at his peak, saying, “I would have liked to play against Alcaraz and Sinner at the height of my career. I don’t know how it would have ended, but we would have had a lot of fun.”

Thiem retired in October 2024 due to a wrist injury, concluding a career that included 17 singles titles and four Grand Slam finals appearances. His head-to-head records against the Big Three are notable, including a 5-2 record vs. Federer, 5-7 vs. Djokovic, and 6-10 vs. Nadal.