Montreal Betting Preview: With no Sabalenka, is another big title heading Swiatek's way? 

On the women’s side, this year’s National Bank Open presented by Rogers will be played in Montreal. Two years ago, Jessica Pegula won this tournament. Interestingly enough, she won it last year in Toronto, too.

Pegula is back to chase a three-peat at the 1000-level event in 2025, and she’ll be joined by stars like Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and others. Aryna Sabalenka pulled out earlier this month, opting to rest before playing in Cincinnati. But this will still be a very exciting event, and there won’t be any shortage of drama. With that in mind, keep reading for a betting preview, where I’ll get into the playing conditions, plus give you some players to watch and a pick to win.

Recent National Bank Open Winners

2019: Bianca Andreescu
2021: Camila Giorgi
2022: Simona Halep
2023: Jessica Pegula
2024: Jessica Pegula

National Bank Open Conditions

Last year, when the men played in Montreal, the Tennis Abstract Surface Speed for the tournament was 0.78. That means that the men hit 22% fewer aces than they do on tour-average surfaces. Feel free to take that information with a grain of salt. There were clay-court events with higher ace rates this year, which shows how slow these courts can play. That’s relevant whether it’s men or women competing.

On hard courts, having a big serve and raw power from the baseline is good no matter what. But winning this tournament will undoubtedly require some grinding.

National Bank Open Players To Watch

Amanda Anisimova: How will Anisimova handle a 6-0, 6-0 loss in the Wimbledon final? There’s no denying that was a performance to forget for the American, but nerves got the best of her. That happens. But you know what? That run solidified Anisimova as a high-end talent in the women’s game. After all, she got through Sabalenka in the semifinals, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. That result wasn’t a fluke, for Anisimova has a winning record against Sabalenka, and seeing her do it on a big stage like that was remarkable.

Looking ahead to the remainder of the hard-court season, Anisimova has the ability to do some big things. Her power is undeniable, she has a world-class backhand and her movement continues to improve. And looking specifically at Montreal, the slower conditions should only help her track down more shots. If she doesn't get in her own head, she might be able to make another deep run.

Jessica Pegula: The conditions in Montreal and Toronto are extremely different, but Pegula has won this event two years in a row. She doesn’t care whether this tournament plays fast or slow. She just likes playing in Canada. Let’s see if that leads to some success in this year’s tournament—and leads to another long, successful end to the hard-court season.

Last year, from the start of Toronto to the end of the US Open, Pegula went 15-2 and her only losses came at the hands of Sabalenka. If that version of Pegula shows up this year, she’ll be a threat to win the next couple of events.

National Bank Open Pick To Win

Iga Swiatek: With Sabalenka not in the field, Swiatek is clearly the top player in the draw. I’m not sure how motivated Swiatek will be after having won Wimbledon, but she can win this tournament if she’s mentally present. We just saw some high-level play from the Pole in quicker conditions, and we also saw some good stuff from her in Melbourne earlier in the year. It’s just clear that the work that Swiatek and coach Wim Fissette are doing is working, as she’s serving better, playing front-foot tennis a little more often and doesn’t seem as rushed. All of that led to success on grass, and I don’t see her slowing down on hard courts.