Elina Svitolina knew this match meant slightly more.
And the Ukrainian tennis star was down a set to a Russian opponent.
The fans in the stands — many from her country’s large, flag-waving diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area — were living with every point across the National Bank Open quarterfinal on an emotional Monday night.
Svitolina responded and forced her way into the semifinals.
The No. 9 seed and 2017 tournament winner recovered from a tough start to top Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 and advance on centre court at Sobeys Stadium.
“I had to really try to find opportunities,” Svitolina said. “I found my game.”
She will now face Iga Swiatek on Wednesday for a shot at the final after the No. 7 seed topped No. 15 Diana Shnaider — also of Russia — 6-2, 6-1.
A six-time Grand Slam winner, including last year’s Wimbledon crown, Swiatek made the NBO semis in 2023 when she lost to Jessica Pegula, who would go on to capture consecutive titles.
“I feel like I’m for sure better focused,” Swiatek said of her game’s current state. “I’m able to follow the plan a little bit easier because I feel the ball good on my racket.”
The rest of the women’s singles matches in the quarters go Tuesday. No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan — the top remaining seed — takes on No. 11 Naomi Osaka of Japan, while No. 4 Coco Gauff of the United States meets No. 12 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.
Svitolina was asked about the energy from the seats and on the court in Monday’s late session, especially given Russia’s continued war against Ukraine that’s now halfway through its fifth year.
“I feel a little bit more pressure than playing any other player,” she said. “Toronto has always lots of Ukrainians, but it’s a champagne problem to have. It’s a great support that they give me, backing me up.”
Alexandrova upset world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus over the weekend to make the quarters at the $7.4-million US tournament.
“It inspires me,” Svitolina continued of the Toronto support. “Not only when I’m stepping on the court, but also when I’m a set down and I’m not feeling very well, I still keep fighting and finding the way.
“They really support me in these kind of moments, and to not let my country down.”
She needed that following the first set, one where she delivered three double faults.
Svitolina, who defeated Caroline Wozniacki in the Canadian final nine years, responded in the second by capitalizing on a trio of break-point chances before adding three more in the third, including to close out the match ahead 5-3 in one hour 33 minutes.
Svitolina has already defeated Swiatek twice this season, including on the way to winning on clay in Rome in May.
“We know each other’s game,” Svitolina said. “It will be important to stay physical. It’s going to be lots of long rallies.”
Swiatek went up an early break in the first set against Shnaider and led 4-2 in front of a crowd peppered with Polish flags, jerseys, hats, scarves and signs of support.
Chants of “Iga! Iga!” started as fans could sense the momentum building, and she delivered with another break at 5-2 before serving out.
Swiatek broke Shnaider again to grab a 2-1 advantage in the second set and did the same for a 4-1 edge when her opponent flubbed a return.
The 25-year-old finished things off when Shnaider sent another return into the net to clinch a semifinal spot in just 64 minutes.
Swiatek never faced a break-point chance against on a blustery evening, and converted five of her own after Shnaider had surrendered just four all tournament before Monday.
“I adjusted well to the conditions,” she said. “Probably the most wind I had (for a) match during the whole tournament.”
The conditions when Swiatek and Svitolina hit the court Wednesday in the semis could well include plenty of raucous support on both sides.
Chan, Galarneau eliminated
Canadians Duncan Chan and Alexis Galarneau saw their impressive run in doubles competition at the men’s National Bank Open tennis tournament in Montreal come to an end with a 6-2, 6-4 quarterfinal loss to Croatia’s Mate Pavic and El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo on Monday.
Pavic and Arevalo, the third seeds in Montreal, converted 88 per cent of total service points in setting up a semifinal against either French tandem Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti or Russia’s Daniil Medvedev and Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan. That match was suspended due to rain with the Frenchmen up a set.
Chan, from Markham, Ont., and Galarneau, from Laval, Que., did not have a break point chance against their opponents, while giving up three breaks to Pavic and Arevalo on 11 chances.
The Canadian wild cards defeated the team of German star Alex Zverev and Brazil’s Marcelo Melo in the first round before upsetting eighth seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France and Kevin Krawietz of Germany in the second round.
In other doubles action scheduled for Monday, top seeds Henry Patten of Britain and Harri Heliovaara of Finland were set to face Argentines Francisco Cerundolo and Tomas Etcheverry, and Brazilians Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos were scheduled to meet seventh seeds Manuel Guinard of France and Guido Andreozzi of Argentina.
Singles quarterfinals were also scheduled to start Monday with 18th seed Arthur Fils of France facing 20th seed Rafael Jodar of Spain and 19th seed Luciano Darderi of Italy taking on 28th seed Brandon Nakashima of the United States.
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