It seems only yesterday we were wrapping up Wimbledon. However, there is no time to waste in the WTA and ATP tours. While the men head to Toronto, the women will head to Montreal for the latest edition of the Canadian Open. As usual, both the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Masters will be played back-to-back before the US Open.

This year, there will be a huge chance for those in the tournament due to many top players withdrawing. Top ten players like Ash Barty, Naomi Osaka, Sofia Kenin, and Iga Swiatek will be absent. Don’t let the withdrawals cramp your style though, there will be plenty of top-quality players to watch at the Canadian Open. The top seed will likely be Aryna Sabalenka, followed by Bianca Andreescu, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova, and Simona Halep.

Out of the top seeds, Pliskova and Svitolina are in top form. Pliskova played phenomenal at Wimbledon, reaching the final, while Svitolina won the Bronze at the Tokyo Olympics last month. They will be looking to take that momentum into the Canadian Open. Let’s not forget Aryna Sabalenka though, as she has been playing phenomenal tennis all year long, and although she did not reach the Wimbledon final, she did make a semifinal appearance. She will be tough to beat.

If there is anyone that can take any of these players, and run them off the court, it’s Bianca Andreescu. The crafty Canadian will be looking to defend her Canadian Open title. When healthy, Andreescu is a top-five player and a force to be reckoned with. She tends to like hard courts and can go on nice deep runs at major tournaments. It will not surprise me if she defends her title.

Another player to look out for will be Simona Halep, the 2016 and 2018 champion. Whereas Simona has lacked success at the US Open, she’s had massive success at the Canadian Open. Unfortunately for Halep, she has not played many matches since her calf injury. It will be difficult to pick up where she left off a few months back and expect to win. However, Simona will still be dangerous at this tournament.

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