By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, August 12, 2024
Photo credit: Vaughn Ridley/Getty

Jessica Pegula knows how to deliver her top tennis in Canada.

Defending champion Pegula is aiming to manage the middle ground in tonight's Toronto final against resurgent Amanda Anisimova.

More: Djokovic Completes Career Golden Slam

It's the first all-American Canadian Open final since 2001 when Serena Williams defeated Jennifer Capriati.

Empowered by a 16-2 career Canadian Open record, Pegula has not surrendered a set en route to her second straight National Bank Open final.

Tonight, Pegula plays for history bidding to become the first woman since legendary Hall of Famer Martina Hingis (1999-2000) to successfully defend the Canadian Open.

"Getting a chance to defend my title is something that doesn't always happen, so I'm excited that I get to put myself in a good spot to do so," Pegula told the media in Toronto. "I think it's cool to be, to have my name with a lot of other really big names in history that have either played well here or been able to defend the title as well, so it's super special."

World No. 6 Pegula has beaten Anisimova in both prior meetings, including a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3) second-round win on the Charleston clay last April.

Tonight's final is their first hard-court clash in four years. Pegula cites two keys to success against Anisimova:

1.Control the center of the court as much as possible.

2. Find the right balance between making the big-hitting Anisimova play an extra ball and playing assertive baseline tennis.

"I think everyone knows she's a threat every time she steps on court," Pegula said of Anisimova. "She's probably one of the biggest, cleanest ball strikers I've ever played against, so when she's on it can be really, really tough.

"Definitely is going to be a battle, and I'm going to have to do my best to just make her play a lot of extra balls, and try to be aggressive when I can, because when she's on she can hit a lot of winners and take the racquet out of your hand sometimes, so I'm going to have to be smart."



Arriving in Toronto ranked No. 133, Anisimova has defeated four Top 20 players in a tournament for the first time in her career.

In a declarative week that included straight-sets wins over Caroline Dolehide, Daria Kasatkina, Anna Kalinskaya and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka before beating Emma Navarro in a three-set semifinal, Anisimova has rocketed up the rankings from No. 132 last week to No. 49 in the live rankings.

The 2019 Roland Garros semifinalist Anisimova has practice with Pegula in the past and believes both will be prepared to fight for every point.

"Honestly, I don't really remember [the Charleston loss to Pegula] that well. I know it was three sets, it was a super long match," Anisimova said. "I was happy with how I played that day, and I fought really hard. I know that I left feeling very proud of myself.

"Even though I lost that match, I was playing really well, and I think overall it was a good experience, so, yeah, there are some things I can take away from that match going into [the final]."