The 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal delivered a stark contrast in fortunes for two of tennis’s brightest stars, as Britain’s Emma Raducanu faced a crushing defeat while Poland’s Iga Swiatek powered through with ease. On August 2, 2025, the WTA 1000 tournament saw Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, overwhelmed by American fifth seed Amanda Anisimova in a one-sided third-round match, falling 6-2, 6-1. Meanwhile, Swiatek, fresh off her maiden Wimbledon triumph, continued her dominant form, dispatching Germany’s Eva Lys 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the fourth round. The day underscored the relentless gap between the sport’s elite and those striving to reclaim their peak, setting the stage for a thrilling continuation of the Canadian Open.
Raducanu, ranked world No. 32, arrived in Montreal riding a wave of momentum after a semifinal run at the Washington Open, where she reclaimed the British No. 1 ranking. Her Montreal campaign began promisingly, with a hard-fought victory over Peyton Stearns in the second round, a match she described as a test of her resilience: “I thought I was moving really well into the corners. I think I was able to get to some balls that maybe I wouldn’t have been able to previously.” Yet, against Anisimova, Raducanu’s game unraveled. The American, determined to erase the memory of her 6-0, 6-0 loss to Swiatek in the Wimbledon final, came out firing, breaking Raducanu three times in the opening set. The second set was even more lopsided, with Raducanu managing just eight points on her serve and narrowly avoiding a bagel. Anisimova’s precision and aggression left Raducanu with little room to maneuver, as the Briton struggled to find her forehand rhythm, a recurring challenge in her 2025 season.
Despite the defeat, Raducanu’s journey this year reflects a player battling to rediscover the magic of her 2021 US Open triumph. Her season has been a rollercoaster, marked by a third-round loss to Swiatek at the Australian Open (6-1, 6-0) and a second-round exit to the Pole at the French Open (6-1, 6-2). “I just felt a bit exposed,” Raducanu said after the Roland Garros loss, acknowledging the gulf between herself and the world’s top players. Yet, her resilience shone through in moments like her gritty win over China’s Wang Xinyu at the French Open, despite illness and a back injury. “I’m actually really proud of today’s match, more so than a lot of the matches that I played recently,” she said then, highlighting her ability to fight through adversity. In Montreal, however, Anisimova’s dominance exposed the work still ahead for Raducanu, whose 21-15 record this season shows progress but inconsistency.
In stark contrast, Swiatek’s performance against Lys was a masterclass in control. The six-time Grand Slam champion, playing her first tournament since Wimbledon, needed just 72 minutes to secure her ninth consecutive victory, extending her WTA 1000 Round of 16 win streak to 18-1. “It’s always fun here. It was a solid match, so I’m happy to have a chance to play another one,” Swiatek said, reflecting on her comfort in Montreal. Lys, a rising German talent, challenged Swiatek with sharp down-the-line shots and wristy angles, but the Pole’s relentless defense and heavy topspin forehand proved insurmountable. “Eva played some great down-the-lines and sometimes was really able to use her wrist and play some fast balls. It wasn’t easy, but I’m happy I just did my job,” Swiatek added. Her victory sets up a fourth-round clash with Denmark’s Clara Tauson, a matchup where Swiatek holds a 2-0 head-to-head lead.
Swiatek’s dominance in Montreal underscores her remarkable 2025 season. With a 12-1 record in her last 13 matches and an 81.1% win rate in WTA 1000 events, she is a formidable favorite to claim the title, especially after defending champion Jessica Pegula’s shock loss to Anastasija Sevastova. Swiatek’s ability to adapt, honed after a doping suspension in 2024, has made her nearly untouchable, particularly against players like Raducanu, whom she has now defeated in all five career meetings. Her 12-0 record against German opponents at WTA events further cements her reputation as a relentless competitor.
For Raducanu, the Montreal loss is a setback but not a defeat of spirit. “I don’t feel demotivated,” she said after her French Open loss, a sentiment likely echoed now as she prepares for the Cincinnati Open and the US Open. With a career-high ranking of No. 10 in 2022 and a renewed focus on fitness under coach Yutaka Nakamura, Raducanu’s trajectory remains upward. As Swiatek charges toward another title, Raducanu’s fight to close the gap promises more compelling chapters in her comeback story.
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