Amanda Anisimova won against eighth-seeded Emma Navarro 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on Sunday in an all-American semifinal at the windy National Bank Open.
“Huge accomplishment,” said Anisimova, who is 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 on Monday, another all-American matchup. Pegula defeated No. 14 Diana Shnaider from Russia 6-4, 6-3.
Anisimova took a mental-health break from tennis last year. The 22-year-old has won two WTA Tour titles—one in 2019 in Bogota and another in 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.”
To reach the final, Anisimova has beaten four top-20 players: No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 12 Daria Kasatkina, No. 15 Navarro, and No. 17 Anna Kalinskaya. On Saturday, she defeated second-seeded Sabalenka 6-2, 6-2 in the quarterfinals for her first win 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 just over an hour before Navarro and Anisimova were set to begin.
The 30-year-old Pegula, from nearby Buffalo, New York, has a record of 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.”
