Toronto (Canada) (AFP) – Reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff will be the top seed at this week’s WTA Toronto event, a hardcourt tuneup for the year’s last Grand Slam showdown in New York. The second-ranked American is joined by third-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and sixth-ranked defending champion Jessica Pegula in a field where several top players withdrew following the Paris Olympics.
Gauff and the other top-eight seeds received a first-round bye, but she will open in the second round against Sofia Kenin or a qualifier. Also in her quarter of the draw are Japan’s Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, and Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, who meet in a first-round match. Jabeur withdrew in Washington last week with a right shoulder injury.
US seventh seed Madison Keys returns after a left leg injury forced her to retire in a Wimbledon quarter-final. Among those to withdraw from Toronto were world number one Iga Swiatek, fourth-ranked Elena Rybakina, fifth-ranked Jasmine Paolini, seventh-ranked Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, eighth-ranked Maria Sakkari, ninth-ranked Danielle Collins, and 10th-ranked Barbora Krecjikova.
© 2024 AFP
