After going title-less for over a year, Iga Swiatek was a shadow of her dominant self. The Pole had tumbled from the top of the rankings, slipping from World No.1 to No. 8, and even her reign on clay, her favorite surface, had started to falter. But in a twist no one saw coming, Swiatek found her fire again, not on clay, but on grass. She stormed through the field at Wimbledon and sealed the deal with a double bagel win in the final, something not seen since Dorothea Lambert in 1911.  Now, the World No.3 has set her sights on the Montreal Open, the next big stop before the US Open. Let’s look at her draw!

Iga Swiatek enters Montreal as the second seed, just behind World No. 2 Coco Gauff. Main draw action begins on Sunday, kicking off the first edition of the newly expanded 12-day event, which concludes with the final on August 7. The center court, named IGA Stadium, fittingly shares its initials with the World No.3, making her a fan favorite there. In 2023, Swiatek made it all the way to the semifinals before falling to eventual champion Jessica Pegula. This year she will be aiming for the trophy.

As the second seed, she gets a bye in the first round and will open her campaign against either Yulia Putintseva or a qualifier. From there, her potential third-round opponents include Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Eva Lys. The 23-year-old has handled both players in their previous meetings, leading the head-to-head 2-0 against each. That gives her some breathing room early in the draw. In the fourth round, things could get a little more interesting. Names like Magdalena Fręch, Clara Tauson, and Lucia Bronzetti are all floating in that section. While none of them have a major upset over Swiatek, there’s still enough unpredictability to keep her on her toes.

If all goes according to plan, the real test begins in the quarterfinals. Madison Keys could be waiting there in a rematch of their Australian Open semifinal, which Swiatek lost by small margins. That match left unfinished business, and the Pole might be eyeing some revenge. Other possible opponents in that round include Karolina Muchova and Belinda Bencic.

The semifinals could turn into a real grind. Two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula is one possible matchup, and given her past success here, she won’t be an easy out. Amanda Anisimova is another name to watch. Iga Swiatek double-bagelled her at Wimbledon, but the American could make it difficult this time. Elina Svitolina is also in the mix, bringing experience to the table. There’s one potential opponent, though, that Swiatek might want to avoid: Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian has beaten her in all six of their meetings. It’s a matchup that hasn’t gone Swiatek’s way yet, and if they meet again, the pressure will be sky-high.

If she gets through all of that, a potential final clash with Coco Gauff could be on the horizon. Swiatek leads their head-to-head 11-4, but Gauff has flipped the script recently, winning their last three meetings. It’s a rivalry that’s heating up fast. Other names that could sneak into the final include Emma Navarro, Mirra Andreeva, and Jasmine Paolini.

Beyond Montreal, Iga Swiatek’s eyes are fixed on the US Open and especially the race for World No. 1.

Serena Williams’ former coach tips Iga Swiatek to be year-end No.1

Serena Williams’ childhood coach Rick Macci is betting big on her. He wrote on X, “It will happen sooner than later as Iga will again be number one on the planet because her mind is made of granite. Not a lot of points to defend, and the Polish Punisher will be number one by year’s end.”

Aryna Sabalenka currently leads the rankings with a massive 12,420 points. She’s the only player since Serena Williams to cross the 12,000-point mark and has built a 4,751-point lead over Gauff and 5,607 over Iga Swiatek.

The Belarusian is sitting on a mountain of points she’ll need to protect, thanks to title runs in Cincinnati, Wuhan, and the US Open, along with deep finishes in DC and the WTA Finals. It’s a fortress, no doubt, but one crack, and it could quickly crumble. Gauff isn’t in the clear either. With 3,060 points to defend, 2,300 of those from her strong finish in China and the year-end Finals, even the slightest stumble could send the rankings into a spin.

Swiatek, by contrast, has just 830 points to defend in the upcoming stretch. That makes her the most dangerous of the three in the points race. Her run toward Flushing Meadows might just be the smoothest. Her path back to the top is far from easy, but the pieces are falling into place.

The 23-year-old last lifted the US Open trophy in 2022, defeating Ons Jabeur in the final with a 6-2, 7-6 scoreline. The comeback story is already in motion. Will Iga Swiatek’s grass-court revival spark a hardcourt takeover?