Coco Gauff Advances to Toronto Semifinals After Bencic Withdrawal

Coco Gauff has booked her place in the National Bank Open semifinals after Belinda Bencic was forced to withdraw from their quarterfinal match because of a hip injury.

The American fourth seed had been scheduled to face the 12th-seeded Swiss player in Toronto on Tuesday, but Bencic was unable to take to the court despite winning three matches earlier in the tournament.

Gauff's reward is a semifinal showdown with Elena Rybakina, who battled past Naomi Osaka in three sets.

Bencic Forced to Withdraw With Hip Injury

Bencic's withdrawal brought an abrupt end to what had been an impressive run in Toronto.

The Swiss star had already defeated three opponents, including 25th seed Alexandra Eala in the fourth round. Eala entered the tournament fresh from winning her first WTA Tour title in Washington.

However, Bencic had been dealing with a hip problem before arriving in Toronto and ultimately decided she could not compete against Gauff.

The withdrawal means Gauff progresses to the semifinals without having to play a quarterfinal match.

Gauff Reaches Fifth Singles Semifinal of 2026

The result gives Gauff her fifth individual semifinal appearance of the 2026 season.

The American has already reached championship matches in Miami and Rome, while also making the semifinals in Wimbledon and Dubai.

Her run in Toronto now gives her another opportunity to challenge for a major WTA title as the hard-court season continues.

However, Gauff faces one of her toughest possible opponents in the next round.

Rybakina Survives Osaka Thriller

Elena Rybakina secured her place in the other half of the matchup by coming from behind to defeat Naomi Osaka 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.

Osaka looked capable of reaching the semifinals after taking the opening set and establishing a 4-2 advantage in the second.

Rybakina responded by winning three consecutive games before forcing a second-set tiebreak, which she won to level the contest.

The deciding set remained tight until Osaka missed four break-point opportunities. Rybakina then broke in the following game to move 4-3 ahead before closing out the match.

Rybakina's Serve Makes the Difference

One of the biggest advantages for Rybakina was her serving performance.

The second seed fired 15 aces, compared with just three from Osaka.

After surviving a difficult opening set and recovering from the second-set deficit, Rybakina managed to maintain her composure when the match entered its decisive stages.

"I'm very happy," Rybakina said after the match, while acknowledging the difficulty of coming back from a losing position.

She now turns her attention to Gauff and another major test in Toronto.

Gauff and Rybakina Set for Only Second Meeting

The semifinal will be only the second meeting between Gauff and Rybakina.

Their first encounter also came in Toronto, when they met in the round of 32 in 2022.

Gauff won that marathon encounter 6-4, 6-7(8), 7-6(3).

Four years later, the stakes are considerably higher, with a place in the National Bank Open final on the line.

Swiatek and Svitolina Complete the Semifinal Line-Up

The other semifinal will feature Iga Swiatek against Elina Svitolina.

Swiatek, the seventh seed, holds a 4-3 advantage over Svitolina in their career head-to-head record.

However, Svitolina has won both of their meetings in 2026, giving the Ukrainian another reason for confidence heading into their latest encounter.

The winner will advance to the Toronto final and face either Gauff or Rybakina.

Toronto Semifinal Line-Up

• Coco Gauff vs Elena Rybakina
• Iga Swiatek vs Elina Svitolina

With two highly competitive matchups remaining, the National Bank Open is set for an exciting finish in Toronto.

SportsLigue