Iga Swiatek produced a pointed answer to her detractors by ending her title drought at the 2026 Canadian Open.

The six-time Grand Slam champion beat world No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the WTA 1000 final in Toronto, delivering a controlled and authoritative display. Swiatek never dropped serve and broke Rybakina four times on her way to a first Canadian Open title.

The 25-year-old Pole’s victory also brought up her 26th WTA Tour title, and her first since winning the Korea Open in September last year. It marked an important turning point after a difficult stretch, one that Swiatek addressed directly in her trophy speech.

She dedicated the title to “everyone who is dealing with unfair judgment and hate.”

“I’m really happy about this tournament. It means so, so much to me because all these past months were not easy,” said Swiatek.

“I’m really happy that I kept focusing on growing, changing my game a little bit, improving, despite all the opinions that many people have about me every day on the internet. It’s not easy to deal with all of that.

“So, I’m happy that the reality is different. The reality is that I have people that know me so well and people that support me every week, every day. They’re here to give their best work, and yeah, just keep pushing. So, thank you to the team that is here.

“And yeah, as I said, I want to dedicate this title to everyone who is dealing with unfair judgment and hate. Just keep pushing, keep growing, keep focusing on yourself because you know what’s the best for you.

“And always remember what’s ahead and what might be possible. So yeah, here we are (smiles).”

Speaking later in her post-match press conference, Swiatek explained why anger surfaced after the final.

“Well, all the things that I mentioned in the speech. Like, just the unfair judgment, and sometimes the, like, people just judging and hating,” said the world No 5.

“But it’s good to focus on how to create space for you to just focus on yourself. It’s not so easy to do that. But the best thing about this two weeks for me was that I could kind of let it go. Yeah, this anger came like after I won.

“But during the whole process I was really focused on just growing and progressing. The same happened after Wimbledon when I started practising on hard courts.

“So, for sure, I feel like I worked hard through kind of all this noise, and unnecessary noise, that’s what makes me angry. Because it shouldn’t be like that and it doesn’t need to be like that.”

Lulu Sun, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, has said she is “stepping away” from tennis after the physical and mental strain of the sport began to weigh on her.

The New Zealander made a major breakthrough in 2024, reaching the last eight at Wimbledon after beating Emma Raducanu and former Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen on the way. That run lifted her to a career-high ranking of 39 later that year, but her position has since slipped to 119th.

Sun, now 25, has also represented Croatia and Switzerland in her youth, reflecting her family background and upbringing in Geneva. In a post on Instagram on Friday, she described the pressures of professional tennis as “relentless” and said she needed time away from the tour for her wellbeing.

She wrote on Instagram on Friday, “Hi guys, I wanted to take a bit of your time to share something personal with you… In professional tennis, as in life, there is constant pressure to perfect oneself. The physical and mental demands of a competition schedule are relentless and can impact your life in more ways than one.

More WTA Tour News

Iga Swiatek gets a big rankings boost and a prize money windfall after win in Toronto

Alex Eala warned by legendary coach over ‘almost impossible’ immediate fix as Roger Federer comparison dismissed

“With that in mind, I have decided to take some time away from competition to give myself a little space for my wellbeing and to enjoy life beyond the tennis court. It will give me the opportunity to step away from the demands of competition, reset and prepare for what’s ahead.”

She also expressed gratitude to those around her. “I find it hard to express how deeply appreciative I am to all my team members, friends, family and fans for their continuous belief in me. Your support and kindness means everything,” she continued.

“I am also truly grateful to my sponsors who I’d like to thank for their continued trust and patronage, and for being an important part of my journey.”

Since her Wimbledon breakthrough, Sun has won only one Grand Slam match in six attempts. That victory came in the second round of the 2025 US Open. She has been a WTA Tour finalist twice, losing to Linda Noskova in the Monterrey Open final in August 2024 and to Ann Li in Guangzhou last October.

Incidentally, Alex Eala was among the prominent names to like the post on Instagram.

WHAT NEXT? WTA Rankings: Rybakina overtakes Sabalenka in Race, Swiatek soars, Mboko nosedives

Rick Macci, Serena Williams’ former coach, has offered a blunt assessment of Alex Eala’s serve, saying she was “incorrectly” taught as a junior while developing the motion.

Eala has become one of the sport’s most closely watched players. Her rise has accelerated after winning the Washington Open, the first WTA Tour title of her career, which pushed the 21-year-old into the top 20 for the first time. Even with that breakthrough, the discussion around her game has continued to focus on one area in particular.

Many observers believe that if Eala is to contend for a Grand Slam title, her serve must improve. The numbers cited around her delivery are not flattering, with her ranking outside the top 50 for aces, first-serve win percentage and second-serve win percentage.

Views on that issue have varied. Rennae Stubbs initially said the 21-year-old could not win a major, though she has since softened that position after the Washington triumph. Andy Roddick has also explained why the left-hander’s serve can be more difficult to handle than it appears.

Macci, however, remains firmly critical. The 71-year-old, who has coached five No. 1 players in Roddick, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova and Jennifer Capriati, said he believes it will be “almost impossible” to overhaul Eala’s serve before the off season. He argued that it requires major changes, that she does not use her legs enough, and that the work would amount to a deep technical rebuild.

On Instagram this week, he wrote, “Almost impossible to change Eala’s serve ’till the off season. This is heavy-duty, in-depth reconstructive surgery, all science-based with a biomechanist.

“Any tip, suggestion, tweak or change is a band-aid. She is smooth, relaxed, and flowing but was taught incorrectly as a junior when growing [up].

“Number one culprit on the WTA Tour, the leg drive does not initiate racquet entry at the proper time. If you do millions of anything, it will get better, but the timing will never be like Federer.”

Earlier in the week, Macci said that if Eala can receive “biomechanical help” on her serve, then it is time to fasten your seatbelts. He did, though, praise her “lethal” groundstrokes and called her the “Philippine Machine”. Eala now turns her attention to the Cincinnati Open as she begins her campaign before this year’s US Open.