TORONTO (AP) 鈥� Amanda Anisimova beat eighth-seeded Emma Navarro 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on Sunday in an all-American semifinal in the windy National Bank Open.
鈥淗uge accomplishment,鈥� said Anisimova, ranked 132nd in the world. 鈥淪omething I鈥檝e been working really hard toward.鈥�
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 鈥� in 2019 in Bogota and 2022 in Melbourne.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to finish my career on that note,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had sacrificed so much and given so much to the sport.鈥�
She has beaten four top-20 players to reach the final 鈥� 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 quarterfinals for her first victory over a top-10 player in nearly two years.
鈥淚 was trying to fight,鈥� Anisimova said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just happy with how I was able to pull through.鈥�
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.
鈥淕etting a chance to defend my title is something that doesn鈥檛 always happen, so I鈥檓 excited that I get to put myself in a good spot tomorrow to do so,鈥� Pegula said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 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鈥檚 super special.鈥�
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