Jessica Pegula beats Amanda Anisimova for second WTA Canada title in a row

TORONTO – Jessica Pegula cried “happy tears” after defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 in an all-American final on Aug 12 to win the Toronto title, becoming the event’s first back-to-back champion since 2000.

The world No. 6 captured her sixth career WTA crown and second of the year after Berlin in June to become the first consecutive winner in Canada since Martina Hingis in 1999-2000.

“Crazy. I can’t believe it. I wanted it so bad,” a tearful Pegula said. “Getting emotional thinking about it. I’m so happy to take the title here. It’s awesome. I’m just flooded with emotions.

“It has been an up-and-down year but these are happy tears. I’m so happy.”

The 30-year-old also said she was happy to have won the Canadian crown in both of the event’s alternating home cities, Montreal and Toronto, which is near her own hometown of Buffalo, New York.

Her grandparents, one from Toronto and the other from Montreal, were in the audience.

“One in each city, so that’s one for each of you,” Pegula added.

The American improved to 3-0 in her career rivalry with Anisimova, taking her second victory of the year against her opponent after April at Charleston.

Pegula broke first to begin the match and again to claim the first set after 27 minutes when Anisimova double faulted.

In the second set, the latter smacked a forehand winner to break Pegula for a 2-1 lead and Pegula double faulted away a break to give Anisimova a 5-2 edge on the way to a third set.

After dropping her first set of the week, Pegula broke for a 2-0 lead on an Anisimova double fault and took a 4-0 edge when Anisimova netted a forehand to surrender another break.

Anisimova, who won only three points in the first four games of the final set, sent a forehand long to drop the match on Pegula’s serve after 87 minutes.

“I know everyone’s talking about my record and all this stuff, but it’s nice to be able to get through the week and to back it up,” Pegula said. “Just super excited, I mean, an honour, really.”

At 132nd in the world, Anisimova became the lowest-ranked finalist at the Canadian tournament in 40 years.

She dispatched four top-20 rivals last week to reach her fourth career WTA final, but could not claim a third title after Bogota in 2019 and Melbourne in 2022.

Anisimova took a nine-month mental health break from tennis in 2023 and fell to 373rd in the world rankings at the start of the year, but ensured a return to the top 50 with her runner-up finish.

“I put the work in, I kept my head down and I tried to come back to the sport with more of a relaxed feeling,” she said.

“Trying to enjoy each day as it comes and not being so serious about everything, because I think that takes away the joy from a lot of things. I think with that kind of approach to my everyday life, I think that’s helped me a lot.” AFP