Jessica Pegula looks to surpass Serena Williams with title defense at Canadian Open

Although WTA legend Serena Williams has an untouchable list of accolades to her name, American tennis star Jessica Pegula looks to overcome her compatriot in one category should she defend her title at the upcoming Canadian Open.

Pegula defeated Liudmila Samsonova in last year's final, breezing through in a 6-1 6-0 victory to secure her second WTA 1000 title. The 30-year old has a chance to successfully defend her title this year, and could achieve a feat that has eluded even Serena Williams. The retired superstar has won the Canadian Open on three different occasions (2001, 2011 and 2013), but has never won back-to-back titles at the event.

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Only six women have gone back-to-back at the Canadian Open in the Open Era

Evonne Goolagong Cawley – 1972 and 1973
The Australian defeated Great Britain’s Virginia Wade 6–3, 6–1 in the 1972 final to lift her eighth title of the year, and the following year defeated Helga Niessen Masthoff from Germany.

Regina Marsikova – 1977 and 1978
The Czech star, who reached a career-high of World No.11, won her first WTA title in Montreal in 1977 when she recorded a 6–4 4–6 6–2 win over South African Marise Kruger in the final. The following year she defeated Virginia Ruzici from Romania in a marathon 7–5 6–7 (9–11) 6–2 match to defend her title.

Martina Navratilova – 1982 and 1983
The WTA icon won three titles in Canada, with two of them coming in back-to-back sessions. Navratilova defeated Andrea Jaeger in 1982, before taking out rival Chris Evert the following year.

Chris Evert – 1984 and 1985
The American won her first Canadian Open title in 1974 and her second one six years later. However, she was able to to win back-to-back trophies at the event in the mid-80's.

Monica Seles – 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
The WTA great won the Canadian Open in four consecutive years. showing her dominance and cementing her place as one of the best players to ever compete in the sport.

Martina Hingis – 1999 and 2000
The Swiss superstar denied Seles a fifth consecutive title, defeating her rival in the 1999 final. Hingis would go on to defeat Serena Williams in the final the following year, as the American retired in the third set.

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