Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka is set to make her return to competitive play at the WTA 1000 National Bank Open in Toronto, aiming to regain momentum on the hard courts following challenging performances on clay and grass surfaces this season. Sabalenka, who has held the world No. 1 ranking since October 2024, experienced early exits in both the French Open and Wimbledon, departing the All England Club in the fourth round—her earliest Grand Slam departure since 2022.
Following her Wimbledon loss to Naomi Osaka, Sabalenka took nearly a month off from competition, including a period of rest in Greece, to recover both physically and mentally. “The rest was much needed,” she said, explaining that the break allowed her to decompress and fuel her motivation returning to the circuit. She acknowledged that her recent attempts to adjust playing strategies on clay and grass had not yielded the expected results and that she is now “back to basics” heading into Toronto.
The National Bank Open, featuring a $7.4 million prize pool, showcases a strong field of competitors, with Sabalenka seeded among several top players. Notable participants include world No. 2 Elena Rybakina—who defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open final this year—as well as two-time tournament champion Jessica Pegula, two-time Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff, and 19-year-old French Open champion Mirra Andreeva. Canadian hope Leylah Fernandez is the sole seeded player from the host nation, positioned at No. 30.
Sabalenka’s ranking is at stake as she seeks to maintain her No. 1 position. If she fails to advance to at least the round of 16, Rybakina could potentially overtake her by winning the tournament. Historically, Sabalenka has yet to progress beyond the semi-finals in Canada’s rotating Toronto-Montreal events.
The tournament arrives amidst a demanding stretch in the tennis calendar, with the US Open looming at the end of August. Sabalenka described the tight scheduling—three consecutive hard-court events including Toronto, Cincinnati, and Montreal for the men’s ATP Masters—as physically taxing, particularly for players advancing deeply in preceding grass-court tournaments. She emphasized the risks of fatigue and injury linked to limited recovery time.
Other key players highlighted for the tournament include former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who is seeking to rebound after a third-round Wimbledon loss, and newly crowned Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, who broke into the top 10 following her Grand Slam victory. Notable absences from the women’s draw include Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova, sidelined due to surgery, and defending Canadian champion Victoria Mboko, out with a knee injury sustained during Wimbledon.
The men’s competition in Montreal has also been affected by withdrawals, with top-ranked players like Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic opting out.
Play commenced on August 2, with Sabalenka’s opening match slated for that evening against Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima, who advanced after defeating Cristina Bucsa. Swiatek is scheduled to face Czech Sara Bejlek following her own first-round win.
As Sabalenka embarks on this phase of the season, the Toronto tournament offers an opportunity for the top-ranked player to re-establish her form ahead of the US Open title defense.