2023 French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova is one of the most naturally talented players in women’s tennis. A semifinalist at the US Open for each of the last two seasons, she has the all-court game of an elite contender.
2025 WTA Tour
WTA 1000
National Bank Open (Canadian Open)
IGA Stadium, Montreal, Quebec (Outdoor Hardcourts)
Selected Round of 32 and 16 Matches- 2nd August
Round of 32
Karolina Muchova (11) 1.31 vs Belinda Bencic (17) 0.6
However, injuries have the been the bane of her career and this season has been no different. She started the year quite well, showing off her hardcourt prowess with back-to-back semifinals in Linz and Dubai. But she started to experience discomfort in her left wrist- an injury dating back to last year- and missed almost the entirety of the clay-court campaign. She struggled in the slams, going out in the first round at the French Open and Wimbledon Championships. She was scrappy in her opener, ultimately seeing off Antonia Ruzic 7-5, 7-5. She did show a bit of gumption in the first set, coming back from 5-2 down against the qualifier. She did mix things up on the backhand side, alternating between her single-handed backhand and her more conventional double-handed backhand (she has struggled to use that double-handed backhand since the reoccurrence of that left-wrist issue).
Belinda Bencic started her campaign with a topsy-turvy clash, ending Eugenie Bouchard’s stilted career with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory. Bencic looked a little undercooked, making her first appearance since her heroic semifinal run at Wimbledon. Bencic returned from maternity leave in October last year, easing her way back into action in some lower-tier events. But she started her 2025 campaign in solid fashion, reaching the 4th round of the Aussie Open before a title-winning run in Abu Dhabi (her first title as a mother). She reached the quarters at Indian Wells but lost momentum during the clay-court swing, injuring herself in Rome before missing the French Open. She bounced back in the 3rd Major of the season, reaching a 2nd career Grand Slam semifinal. The versatile Swiss also has an exceptional record in this event, improving to 15-3 with that hard-fought win over Bouchard. She won this event as a teenager back in 2015 (beating Serena Williams en route). She has also reached the quarterfinals in her two most recent appearance (in 2022 and 2023).
The Verdict: Bencic to win in straight sets at 1.29– Bencic leads the head-to-head 2-1. However, Muchova won their most recent meeting, beating the Swiss star in straight sets at the 2023 Dubai Duty Free Championships. This should be a comfortable win for Bencic. The Swiss is in vastly superior form and should dominate the backhand exchanges.
Round of 16
Marta Kostyuk (24) vs McCartney Kessler (28)
There should be a stipulation that all Kostyuk supporters get mandatory blood pressure tests every three months. The entertaining Ukrainian broke a six-match losing streak in her Montreal opener, coming back from a set down to get the better of former Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova. And she showed similar resolve in her round of 32 clash with Daria Kasatkina, coming back from a set down to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-6. Kostyuk was in playful mood, throwing in cheeky underarm serves and chasing down lost causes with glee. She has struggled to remain consistent, citing the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian conflict as a source of ongoing upheaval. But she certainly showed glimpses of her best form in the early portion of the season, reaching three WTA 1000 quarterfinals. Kostyuk appears to enjoy the physicality of North American hardcourts, winning in Austin in 2023 and finishing runner-up in San Diego last year. Next up she needs to take down up-and-coming American McCartney Kessler.
26-year-old American McCartney Kessler is fast emerging as the under-the-radar breakout star of the season. Kessler took a slightly unconventional route to professional tennis, spending five years playing college golf at University of Florida (go Gators). She took some time to come to terms with professional tennis but has suddenly burst into life on tour, reaching four finals in the space of the last 12 months (three of which coming this season). She showed off her hardcourt pedigree in the early part of the year, winning in Hobart before a runner-up finish in Austin. She has generally underperformed in the elite events but just pulled off one of the upsets of the tournament, seeing off 4th seed Mirra Andreeva in straight sets (she also beat Coco Gauff in Dubai). Kessler is a durable baseliner who looks to soak up pressure and quickly turn defence into attack. Like Kostyuk, Kessler is crafty shot-maker with impeccable movement. This could be really fun to watch.
The Verdict: Kessler to win in three at – Kostyuk leads the head-to-head 1-0, easing past the American at last year’s US Open. This should be a tougher affair, with Kessler coming on in leaps and bounds over the last 12 months. This has the potential to go all the way, with both ladies renowned for their stellar defensive work. I just have a feeling that Kostyuk could run out of lives here. Kessler looked supremely confident against Andreeva, outdueling the Russian in many key rallies. I think her greater consistency of shot could see her through against the maverick Ukrainian.
