Serena Williams to Play Toronto

Serena Williams is bringing her pop-up party to Toronto.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion will play the National Bank Open in Toronto on a protected ranking, the tournament announced.

The National Bank Open, formerly called the Rogers Cup, makes its official return at full capacity in Toronto’s Sobeys Stadium August 6-14th.

The 40-year-old superstar Serena will play the tournament main draw for the first time since 2019 when she fell in the finals. Williams joins a loaded Toronto field that features 41 of the world’s Top 43 ranked women.

Williams’ presence on Toronto’s entry list is a sign of her intention to play next month’s US Open.

Two-time Roland-Garros champion and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek headlines a field that includes four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and Toronto-born US Open champion Emma Raducanu. Former champion Bianca  Andreescu, who beat Sofia Kenin and Williams in succession to win the 2019 Toronto title then beat Belinda Bencic and Williams back-to-back to win the 2019 US Open, makes her Toronto return with a wildcard.

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Last month, Williams made her long-awaited singles return at Wimbledon bowing to Harmony Tan in a three-hour epic. Asked her playing plans after just the third opening-round Grand Slam exit of her career, Serena said she was uncertain.

“That’s a question I can’t answer,” Williams said at Wimbledon. “Like, I don’t know. I feel like, you know, I don’t know. Who knows? Who knows where I’ll pop up.”