(Toronto) American Jessica Pegula continues to dominate north of the Canada-US border.
The third seed and world number six player defeated her compatriot Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 on Monday in Toronto to successfully defend her National Bank Open singles title.
Buffalo native Pegula also triumphed last year in Montreal, improving her career record to 17-2 at the Canadian tournament and winning her sixth WTA title.
“I’m so excited to be here with the trophy again,” the winner said. “I really wanted this one. I know everyone talks about my record and stuff, but it’s nice to be able to get through the week and keep it.”
“Just really excited… It’s an honor, really.”
PHOTO FRANK GUNN, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Amanda Anisimova
Pegula is the first player since Switzerland’s Martina Hingis in 2000 to defend her title in Canada.
“I’ve always played well here,” she said. “Especially in Toronto. It’s close to Buffalo, I had a lot of friends and family there. [dans les gradins]. And my grandparents, my husband were able to come [lundi].
“That doesn’t happen in many tournaments.”
Anisimova started the tournament at 132.e world ranking, as she continues her comeback after taking a mental health break. She beat three players in the top 20 world in Toronto, including Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, third racket in the world.
“I really thought I had her after the second set, but she really stepped up her game,” said Anisimova, who will be seeded 49.e in the world on Tuesday. She played incredible tennis. It was a very, very difficult match.”
I tried different strategies, but it didn’t work in my favor. I will try to learn from this experience.
Amanda Anisimova
Monday’s final was only the second time the WTA has pitted two Americans against each other in a Category 1000 tournament – one level below the Grand Slams – since the format was introduced in 2009. The first time was in 2016, when Serena Williams defeated Madison Keys in Rome.
Pegula, who is 3-0 against Anisimova after also defeating her on clay earlier this season, defeated Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova in the final last year in Montreal.
The 30-year-old – daughter of Buffalo Sabres and Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula – broke in the first game and led 5-3 when Anisimova double-faulted to lose the first set on a windy night at Sobeys Stadium.
Anisimova trailed 0-40 in the second set before erasing the deficit and breaking Pegula’s serve to take a 2-1 lead.
The 22-year-old took a 5-2 lead with another break after a double fault from Pegula, then won the next game with the ball in hand. Pegula thus lost her first set of the tournament.
Pegula opened the third set by winning the service game, then broke to take a 2-0 lead. She also won the next two games to move within two games of the championship.
The National Bank Open final in Toronto was held on Monday for the first time because of the tennis tournament at the Paris Olympics. In Montreal, organizers had requested the same schedule change for the WTA tournament because of the London Games in 2012.
The American duo of Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk also defeated Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and her New Zealand partner Erin Routliffe 7-6 (2), 3-6 and 10-7 in the doubles final in the evening.
Dabrowski, who won the bronze medal with Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime at the Paris Olympics, won in doubles at the National Bank Open in 2021. She was teamed with Brazilian Luisa Stefani.
Dabrowski and Routliffe beat Dolehide and Krawczyk in the semi-finals at Wimbledon last month before losing to Czech Kateřina Siniaková and American Taylor Townsend in the final.