Pegula wins it again, the queen of Canadian Open

Sixth seed and world No.3 Jessica Pegula successfully defended her National Bank Open title with a hard-fought 6-3 2-6 6-1 win over Amanda Anisimova in an all-American final on Monday. This victory improved Pegula’s remarkable tournament record to 17-2.

The Buffalo, New York native, who had the support of friends, family, and her husband, was particularly thrilled to compete so close to home, a rare opportunity in her career.

Pegula’s victory marks her sixth WTA singles title and her third at the prestigious WTA 1000 level, adding to her previous wins at the National Bank Open in Montreal last year and Guadalajara in 2022. She becomes the first woman to achieve consecutive titles at the National Bank Open since Martina Hingis did it in 2000.

In a showdown against Anisimova, who had been in sensational form throughout the week, defeating four Top 20 players to reach her first WTA 1000 final, Pegula faced a tough challenge. Anisimova, unseeded and ranked No.132, is expected to climb back into the Top 50 after her impressive display in Toronto. Anisimova, a former French Open semifinalist, started the year outside the Top 350 after taking an eight-month break in 2023 to focus on her mental well-being.

In the first set, Pegula dominated with her serve, winning 16 out of 17 service points, including all 12 of her first-service points. She broke Anisimova in the opening game and maintained her lead to take the set 6-3 following an Anisimova double fault.

The second set saw a shift in momentum as Anisimova found her groove, executing her powerful groundstrokes with precision. After saving triple break points early in the set, Anisimova broke Pegula twice to establish a commanding 5-2 advantage. Pegula dropped her first set of the tournament as Anisimova held serve to even the match at one set apiece.

However, Pegula found another level in the decisive set, as she has often done in Canada. She extended rallies, waiting patiently for the right moment to strike, and raced to a 5-0 lead by winning 16 of the first 18 points. Although Anisimova managed to get on the scoreboard at 5-1, it was too late to halt Pegula’s momentum.

In addition to defeating Anisimova in the final, Pegula’s journey to the title included wins over former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, as well as Ashlyn Krueger, Peyton Stearns, and Diana Shnaider.

With this win, Pegula not only retained her National Bank Open title but also confirmed her reputation as one of the most consistent performers on the WTA Tour. Her ability to bounce back after losing the second set and dominate the third showcases her mental toughness and tactical prowess, qualities that have propelled her to the top ranks of women’s tennis.