While Iga Swiatek might have arrived early in Toronto for the Canadian Open, on-court preparations were not the only motivation for the Pole. The former World No. 1, however, revealed that the reason behind her early arrival was an Ariana Grande concert.

“Well the reason I arrived earlier was because I was in Boston for the Ariana Grande show,” said Swiatek during her on-court interview after she made a winning start at the Canadian Open.

Swiatek attended the concert at TD Garden from July 23-26, where Grande had performed as part of her tribute to her album “Eternal Sunshine”. Grande was in her full flow, singing all her hits like “We Can’t Be Friends”, “Seven Rings”, among other songs. This is the reason she managed to kickstart her preparation for the tournament, as Boston to Toronto is a short 2-hour flight.

It was during the North American hard court swing last year that Swiatek fell in awe with Grande’s talent, especially after her performance in the movie “Wicked,” where the American singer’s voice captivated Swiatek’s imagination. Grande’s passion for her art, which drove her to push her voice, resonated with Swiatek, who has “huge amounts of respect” for the American.

However, one thing that might have kept Swiatek in the dark about Grande’s talents is the Pole’s huge devotion towards Taylor Swift. The former World No. 1 is a known Swiftie, as she paid tribute to the pop icon after winning a match at the 2023 French Open. After winning Roland Garros 2024, Swiatek headed out to attend Swift’s concert, which was part of the Eras Tour, leaving the Pole quite emotional. She even received a congratulatory message from Swift, which sent the six-time Major champion to tears.

The trip to Boston seems to have put Swiatek in a good mood, as she had a blazing start to her campaign at the Canadian Open.

Iga Swiatek Made a Strong Start in Toronto

Coming into the Canadian Open after some heavy Slam losses, Swiatek needed a fast start in Montreal to send a message, which she did in her opening round match against Sara Bejlek. The Pole broke serve in the first game of the match, which saw her run away with the first set 6-0.

There was no letting off from the former World No.1, who got two breaks in the second set to go 3-0 up, and a double bagel looked a real possibility. However, Bejlek broke back to make it 2-3, and the sixth game of the second set saw Swiatek have a dip in her serve, something that has troubled her in recent matches. However, the Pole saved nine break points in a single game, holding for 4-2, and then breaking Bejlek one more time to win the set 6-3.

Swiatek will face Viktorija Golubic in the next round, with a potential fourth-round meeting with either Madison Keys or Marta Kostyuk. Should it be the Ukrainian, the Pole will have her work cut out, as she lost to the same opponent at the French Open, despite having a lead in the match.

A deep run at the Canadian Open is important for Swiatek as she needs the points to keep her place in the Top 10 and have a chance of advancing in the race to qualify for the WTA Finals.