Amanda Anisimova of the USA celebrates her win over Emma Navarro of the USA in semifinal action at the National Bank Open in Toronto on Aug. 11.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
Amanda Anisimova beat eighth-seeded Emma Navarro 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on Sunday in an all-American semi-final in the windy National Bank Open.
“Huge accomplishment,” said Anisimova, ranked 132nd in the world. “Something I’ve been working really hard toward.”
She will face third-seeded defending champion Jessica Pegula in the final Monday in another all-American match. Pegula beat No. 14 Diana Shnaider of Russia 6-4, 6-3.
Anisimova took a mental-health break from tennis last year. The 22-year-old player has two WTA Tour titles – in 2019 in Bogota and 2022 in Melbourne.
“I didn’t want to finish my career on that note,” she said. “I had sacrificed so much and given so much to the sport.”
She has beaten four top-20 players to reach the final – No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 12 Daria Kasatakina, No. 15 Navarro and No. 17 Anna Kalinskaya. On Saturday, Anisimova beat second-seeded Sabalenka 6-2, 6-2 in the quarter-finals for her first victory over a top-10 player in nearly two years.
“I was trying to fight,” Anisimova said. “I’m just happy with how I was able to pull through.”
Play at York University was delayed by rain for a little over an hour just before Navarro and Anisimova were scheduled start.
The 30-year-old Pegula, from nearby Buffalo, New York, is 16-2 in the event.
“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 tomorrow to do so,” Pegula said. “I think it’s cool 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.”