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Pegula beats Anisimova in all-American Toronto final; Dolehide/Krawczyk win doubles title

Arthur Kapetanakis | August 12, 2024


Americans dominated the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto, which ended on Monday with a U.S. trophy sweep. 

 

Jessica Pegula beat compatriot Amanda Anisimova, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, to successfully defend her Canadian title, while the doubles duo of Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk took the trophy with a 7-6(2), 3-6, 10-7 win against top seeds Gabriela Dabrowksi and Erin Routliffe.

 

Five Americans reached the singles quarterfinals, including Peyton Stearns, Taylor Townsend and semifinalist Emma Navarro.

Pegula repeats in a new city

Pegula won her third WTA 1000 title by completing a Canadian double across two cities. After winning the trophy in Montreal last season, the Buffalo native backed it up at the same event in Toronto, with the tournament alternating sites each year.

 

"Toronto, it's nice, it's so close to Buffalo, I had a lot of friends, family, and my grandparents, my husband was able to come today," Pegula said, as quoted on wtatennis.com. "That's cool, I don't really get that at a lot of tournaments. Then to be able to win the tournament as well, and to be able to share that moment with them is really special."

 

Pegula is now 17-2 at the Canadian event, with two semifinal runs before her two title triumphs. She did not lose a set in 2024 until Anisimova forced a decider in the final.

 

The champion lost just one point on serve in a strong opening set, but was dragged into a battle after Anismova fought off triple break point at 0-1 in set two. Pegula dominated in the final frame, countering Anisimova's power game with her own aggression and excelling in longer rallies.

Toronto finalist Amanda Anisimova and champion Jessica Pegula. Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images.

"The third [set], I was just, like, I just need to pick up my energy here, and I need to come and start off the third and get on her really quickly," Pegula said. "Especially someone that can have such big ball-striking ability and hit winners and kind of boss you around the court, you want a good lead from someone like that in the third."

 

Anisimova rockets back into Top 50, earns US Open wild card

The unseeded Anisimova notched four Top 20 wins to reach the title round, beating Daria Kasatkina, Anna Kalinskaya, Aryna Sabalenka and Navarro. 

 

Her run lifted her back into the Top 50 from world No. 132, having began the year outside the Top 300 after taking a mental-health break from the WTA Tour for eight months in 2023.

 

"I put the work in, I kept my head down, and I tried to come back to the sport with more of a relaxed feeling," Anisimova said after the final. "Trying to enjoy each day as it comes and not being so serious about everything, because I think that takes away the joy from a lot of things. I think with that kind of approach to my everyday life, I think that's helped me a lot."

 

Anisimova's performance in Toronto and across the past four weeks earned her first place in the US Open Wild Card Challenge and a spot in the 2024 US Open main draw. With a ranking of No. 175 when the US Open entry list was released last month, she was slated to compete in qualifying before earning the wild card.

Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk lift the 2024 Toronto doubles trophy. Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images.
Dolehide/Krawczyk win first team title

On the heels of the all-American singles final, Dolehide and Krawczyk closed out the week's play in Toronto by completing an American trophy sweep. Regular partners since February, they now have their first tour-level title as a pair.

 

Their final win against Dabrowski and Routliffe avenged a Wimbledon semifinal defeat from last month.

 

"It's a privilege to play with someone who's so good," Dolehide said of Krawczyk, who is now an 11-time WTA doubles champ. "We've had some great times together ... We've been pretty much everywhere this year, so to get this title here means so much."

 

The victory in their second title match of the season, following a final defeat in Doha, earned Dolehide her second career WTA doubles crown. Her first came with another American, Asia Muhammad, in Monterrey in 2021.

 

The Toronto title lifted Krawczyk to doubles world No. 8, matching her career high, and moved Dolehide to a new high of No. 12.

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