Jessica Pegula defends title in Toronto, clinches second WTA 1000 crown

Jessica Pegula (No. 6) successfully defended her title at the Canadian Open after defeating Amanda Anisimova (No. 132) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. The American No. 2 secured her sixth title and second WTA 1000 crown, maintaining the points she earned in 2023 and heading into the Cincinnati Open full of confidence.

Pegula played in her fourth WTA 1000 final, following previous appearances in Madrid, Guadalajara, and Montreal. Serena Williams (18) and Venus Williams (6) are the only Americans with more finals in tournaments of this category since the format was introduced in 2009. Pegula took advantage of several high-profile withdrawals from Toronto in recent days, including Iga Swiatek (No. 1), Elena Rybakina (No. 4), Jasmine Paolini (No. 5), and Zheng Qinwen (No. 7).

In the first set, Pegula quickly showcased her greater experience in these situations, taking the lead with an early break that put her up 2-0. The world No. 6 was nearly unbeatable on her first serve, conceding only one point on serve (94% won) and consistently putting Anisimova under pressure with her return game. In the 9th game, Pegula secured a second break, allowing her to comfortably close out the set 6-3.

In the second set, Anisimova managed to shake off her nerves and improve her serving effectiveness. She also began to find ways to win points on Pegula’s serve. Early in the set, Anisimova recovered from 0-40 and followed it up with a break in the next game to take the lead over her opponent. A few minutes later, Anisimova secured a second break to close out the set 6-2, raising the uncertainty in Toronto.

However, there was little she could do against a dominant Pegula in the final set. Starting the third set, the defending champion won 19 of the first 22 points, securing two breaks and racing to a 5-0 lead. Although Anisimova managed to win a service game, she was far from staging a comeback, and Pegula closed out the match decisively on her serve with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 victory.

Nevertheless, Anisimova can take positives from her run in Toronto, as she reached her first final in over two and a half years and secured a significant rise in the rankings to world No. 49.

Pegula ensured she remains at world No. 6 during a delicate phase of the season with many points to defend. There will be no rest for Pegula, who will quickly travel to the Cincinnati Open, where she debuts on Wednesday against the winner of the match between Karolina Muchova and Dayana Yastremska.