Peyton Stearns must have done plenty of soul-searching following her ignominious Washington Open exit. The hard-hitting American was thoroughly outclassed by 45-year-old Venus Williams, pulled from pillar to post in a slightly embarrassing performance.
2025 WTA Tour
WTA 1000
National Bank Open (Canadian Open)
IGA Stadium, Montreal, Quebec (Outdoor Hardcourts)
Selected Round of 64 and Round of 32 Matches- 31st July
Round of 64
Peyton Stearns (32) 2.4 vs Emma Radacanu 0.3
Peyton Stearns must have done plenty of soul-searching following her ignominious Washington Open exit. The hard-hitting American was thoroughly outclassed by 45-year-old Venus Williams, pulled from pillar to post in a slightly embarrassing performance. I honestly though that Stearns would come to life during this year’s North American hardcourt campaign (she reached the Canadian Open quarters last year before reaching the 3rd round of the US Open), Stearns has an exceptional forehand that allows her to hit plenty of clean winners. But she can become a tad one-dimensional and her mobility was painfully exposed by Williams’ smooth groundstrokes. She has had issues with cramping and vomiting (particularly in long, involving matches).
The Emma Radacanu renaissance is indeed a real thing. I think a few commentators- myself included- had their doubts about her recent revival (she has had a fair share of false dawns since that glorious 2021 US Open win). She is 19-9 since the start of the Miami Open, enjoying considerable success on faster hardcourts. She reached her maiden WTA 1000 quarterfinal in Miami and is fresh off a brilliant semifinal run in Washington (where she beat the high profile trio of Kostyuk, Osaka and Sakkari). Radacanu seems to have found her rhythm from the back of the court, controlling the tempo of rallies with far greater authority. She looked in complete control in her Montreal opener, taking down Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-2, 6-4.
The Verdict: Radacanu to win in straight sets at 0.74- Radacanu leads the head-to-head 2-0, winning both of those matches on hard-courts (and in straight sets). Stearns is a dangerous player who just needs to land one or two forehands to get things going. Still, Radacanu is looking more and more impressive with each passing tournament, seemingly destined to become a permanent fixture in the world’s top 20. She should keep Stearns honest with her serve and create plenty of break-point opportunities.
Round of 32
Daria Kasatkina (15) 1.31 vs Marta Kostyuk (24) 0.6
This should be a fascinating clash between two out-of-form players looking for some late-season cheer. Perhaps Kasatkina’s most notable achievement this season in converting from being Russian No.2 to Aussie No.1 (she attained Aussie citizenship towards the beginning of the season). Perhaps that whole ordeal had an impact on her game- she hasn’t reached a quarterfinal since Adelaide. To put that into context, Kasatkina reached six finals last year, winning titles in Eastbourne and Ningbo. She did show glimpses of her best tennis at Grand Slam level, reaching the 4th round of the Aussie and French Opens. But she generally struggled in the first half of the season, winning just one match during the coveted ‘Sunshine Double’ (an early harbinger of North American hardcourt form). She looked impressive in her Montreal opener, coming back from a break down in the 2nd set to take down the dangerous Blinkova 6-1, 6-4. She has some positive experience on these courts, reaching the quarterfinals here back in 2023.
Wow, Marta Kostyuk needed that. The 23-year-old Ukrainian entertainer has been in dreadful form this year, bringing a six-match losing streak into this tournament following a straight-sets defeat to Radacanu in Washington. She has talked openly about the difficulty of focusing on tennis during the ongoing Ukrainian crisis. So, I think it was fair to fear the worst when she dropped the first set against Vondrousova. But Kostyuk came out of hibernation in those closing sets, pulling off some wonderful gets to remind us all why we love the uber-athletic Ukrainian. She will be hoping to regain the form that saw her reach three WTA 1000 quarterfinals in the early portion of the season. Kostyuk does have some experience getting the job done on North American hardcourts, winning in Austin in 2023 before finishing runner-up in San Diego last year.
The Verdict: Kasatkina to win in three at 4.4- These two have enjoyed a formidable rivalry, with the newly converted Aussie leading Kostyuk 4-3 in the head-to-head stakes. Kostyuk won their most recent meeting, easing past the Aussie in straight sets at this year’s Italian Open. However, Kasatkina had won their four previous meetings, leading the hardcourt duels 2-1. This should be a tough encounter, with both ladies possessing a wide repertoire of shots. Kasatkina will likely play on the counter, looking to create lovely cross-court angles. I think her 2023 quarterfinal run could give her the experience to edge this in three.
