MONTREAL – In a stunning upset at the National Bank Open on August 3, 2025, danish player Clara Tauson, ranked No. 38, defeated world no. 3 iga Świątek 6-4, 7-6(5), marking her first career victory against the Polish star. The match, played at IGA Stadium in montreal, Quebec, Canada, showcased Tauson’s strategic play and composure in challenging windy conditions.
The victory propels Tauson into the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event, where she will face Madison Keys. This marks Tauson’s second WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearance of the year, following a strong showing earlier in the season.
Tauson’s performance was characterized by consistent ball placement and aggressive returns,particularly against Świątek’s serve.She capitalized on key breaks in the first set,securing one after Świątek sent consecutive forehands into the net at 2-1. Świątek’s double fault on break point at 4-2 further solidified Tauson’s advantage. Despite a brief break of her own serve, Tauson maintained her composure, ultimately closing out the set.
“I felt like I had a bit better luck in my returning games, and obviously she started with a double fault in the next game, which gave me a little bit more confidence going into the rest of the points,” Tauson stated post-match. “I felt like I had a little bit of the upper hand in the end of the set. I think I showed that I can keep cool under pressure.”
The match concluded with a short rally ending in a Świątek backhand error, prompting a jubilant festivity from Tauson. The win avenges Świątek’s straight-set victory over Tauson at Wimbledon earlier in 2025, where Świątek ultimately claimed the title on July 13th.
Tauson’s recent form has been exceptional, highlighted by a dominant straight-set win over then-world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February 2025, with a score of 6-3, 6-2. That match, like the victory over Świątek, was built on a strong serve – tauson won 80% of her first serve points against Sabalenka – and powerful baseline play.
Looking ahead, Tauson’s quarterfinal match against Madison Keys will be a rematch of their Auckland quarterfinal from earlier this year, where Tauson prevailed in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6. Keys herself secured her quarterfinal berth with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Karolína Muchová, saving two match points in the process.
The National Bank Open continues with quarterfinal action on August 5th, promising further compelling matchups as players vie for the title and valuable ranking points.
(Photo: Minas panagiotakis / Getty Images)
