Roger Federer and Caroline Wozniacki entered the Rogers Cup tournaments in Canada with similar records in 2017 finals - Roger had won 5 from 5 and Caroline had lost 5 from 5.
Montreal looked like a half dozen was in the bag for the Swiss legend, as he had only recently given his opponent, Sascha Zverev a carpeting in the June Halle final in less than an hour.
However this was another day for Zverev as he took it to Federer in no uncertain manner. The fourth seed served consistently well, both on first and second delivery. Federer, the second seed, again contributed a very high first serve percentage, but was worried by the return on his second serve.
Sascha managed to create two break points off the Swiss serve, but protected his own serve from any. An unusually frustrated Federer was unable to hold off an aggressive German and Zverev broke for 3-1, an advantage he never relinquished until the set ended 6-3 in his favour.
Set two looked better for Federer as he held three break points on Zverev's first service game. These were all saved and that was it for the 19 Grand Slam title winning ace. The Swiss serve was broken for the final time in the seventh game and Roger would surrender the Rogers Cup to Zverev 6-3 6-4.
5 titles for the young German in 2017, and just 20 he appears clearly the head of the next era of players to perhaps top the rankings and maybe even dominate tennis for awhile. Five titles equals Federer (yes 2 Grand Slam titles less but the US Open is awaiting maybe) and more to come I suspect.
Roger had his 2017 finals record spoiled but Caroline kept her record intact by losing her sixth final for the year, her second to Elina Svitolina.
But lets go back to the quarter final where Garbine Muguruza led Svitolina by a set. The two had met twice earlier in 2017 for a 1-1 result and this time the Wimbledon champ appeared likely to prevail.winning the opening set 6-4, 37 points to 28. Instead of the momentum continuing rain stopped play for the day.
Like the Rain in Spain with Eliza, this was the Rain in Toronto with Elina, and it was to the Ukrainian's relief.
The next day it was a new look Svitolina and she was on fire, taking the remaining two sets and the quarter final from Muguruza, then later in the day taking the sword to defending champ and second seed Simona Halep, donating just 2 games to the Romanian.
The final was close in set one but Svitolina slightly out served Wozniacki to finally lead 6-4. Then it was Halep-like carnage, perhaps worse, as the fifth seed allowed nothing for poor Caroline, winning twice as many points and the rest of the games.
A comprehensive 6-4 6-0 victory and, like Sascha, Elina's fifth victory for 2017.
The first woman to win three Premier 5 tournaments in the one calendar year, Svitolina has the chance to extend that, and she also has real claims to grabbing the US Open crown next month.
Both Svitolina and Wozniacki move ahead of Muguruza to 4 and 5 in the rankings respectively.
However the star mover is Aussie Ash Barty who crashed into the top fifty up 10 places to a career high of 48. Her round of sixteen performance from qualifying in Toronto was impressive, the loss to Muguruza leaving some decent skin off the Wimbledon champ.
Barty has again qualified for the Cincinnati Premier 5 this week, but surely the qualifying pain will be a thing of the past before long for the talented Australian.
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