Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sablalenka headline Canadian Open draw; Venus Williams faces Madison Keys

Montreal [Canada], August 5 (ANI): The World No.1 Iga Swiatek and No.2 Aryna Sablalenka lead the Canadian Open draw, which includes the comeback of former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, the tournament announced the draw for the first WTA 1000 of the summer.

Wozniacki has been drawn in the top half of the draw for her first tournament after declaring her retirement in 2020. She will face a qualifier in the first round. If she wins, she might face Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the second round. The Czech is seeded ninth and will face Egypt’s Mayar Sherif in the first round.

Swiatek, who won her fourth championship of the season in Warsaw last month, will face either former No. 1 Karolina Pliskova or China’s Zhu Lin in the first round. In the third round, a replay of the French Open final might take place against 14th seed Karolina Muchova, who meets Anastasia Potapova in her opening.

The top two Americans, No.4 Jessica Pegula and No.6 Coco Gauff, anchor the second part of the draw. No.13 seed Madison Keys will face Venus Williams in the first round, with Pegula possible in the third.

Gauff will face either Canada’s Rebecca Marino or a qualifier after a first-round bye. In the third round, the 19-year-old American might face Vondrousova or Wozniacki.

The third quarter of the draw is led by No. 3 Elena Rybakina and No. 5 Caroline Garcia. The seeds in this quarter are rounded out by No.19 seed Daria Kasatkina, who opens against Elise Mertens, and No.16 seed Victoria Azarenka. Jennifer Brady, who is still in the early stages of her comeback, meets Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round, with the victor going on to face Rybakina.

No.2 Sabalenka and No.7 seed Petra Kvitova lead the last quarter of the draw. Following a bye in the first round, the newlywed Czech will face either Bianca Andreescu or a qualifier.

Sabalenka is competing in her first tournament after reaching the Wimbledon semifinals. In the second round, she will face either Petra Martic or a qualifier.