Amanda Anisimova beat eighth-seeded Emma Navarro 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on Sunday in an all-American semifinal in the windy Toronto 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.
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“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 quarterfinals 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.
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