TORONTO, Canada, Aug 12, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Defending champion Jessica Pegula advanced to the WTA Toronto Masters final on Sunday by defeating Diana Shnaider 6-4, 6-3, giving her a chance to be the event's first back-to-back winner since 2000.

Sixth-ranked Pegula eliminated the 24th-ranked Russian in 83 minutes to book an all-American final on Monday against Amanda Anisimova, who ousted US eighth seed Emma Navarro 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

Pegula, trying for the first Canadian repeat since Martina Hingis in 1999-2000, is 2-0 against Anisimova, most recently winning in April at Charleston.

"She's probably one of the biggest, cleanest ball strikers I've ever played against, so when she's on it can be really tough," Pegula said of Anisimova.

"Tomorrow definitely is going to be a battle and I'm going to have to do my best to just make her play a lot of extra balls and try to be aggressive when I can, because when she's on she can hit a lot of winners and take the racquet out of your hand sometimes, so I'm going to have to be smart tomorrow."

Shnaider, a 20-year-old left-hander, had a break point in the eighth game but netted a forehand and Pegula held for a 5-3 lead.

She then broke on the longest rally of the match, 21 shots, when Shnaider netted a backhand to end matters.

Pegula moves into her 13th career WTA final, seeking her sixth title and second of the year after Berlin in June.

Shnaider, who ousted US top seed and reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff, was coming off a silver-medal effort in Paris Olympics doubles.

- 'Still hungry' -

Anisimova reached her fourth career WTA final by dispatching her fourth top-20 foe of the week, a career first. She also ousted third-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in a quarter-final.

"This is a huge accomplishment for me and something I've been working really hard towards," Anisimova said. "I'm just super happy with my week here and I'm pretty surprised with how well I've been able to do so far.

"I'm still hungry for more and I hope that I can really do well tomorrow."

At 132nd in the world, Anisimova became the lowest-ranked finalist at the Canadian tournament in 40 years, as she seeks a third WTA title after Bogota in 2019 and Melbourne in 2022.

Anisimova took a nine-month mental health break from tennis last year and fell to 373rd in the world rankings at the start of the year, but has ensured a return to the top 50 in the next world rankings.

"I knew that when I stepped away that I really wanted to come back and I didn't want to finish my career on that note," Anisimova said.

"There was still a lot I wanted to achieve, and just not finish at such a young age, because I had sacrificed so much and given so much to the sport."

Navarro netted a forehand to surrender a break and a 5-2 lead in the final set to Anisimova, who closed with an ace to eliminate her compatriot in one hour, 55 minutes.

Anisimova fired 28 winners to 10 for Navarro in windy conditions.

"It was tough out there again today, super windy, struggled on my serve a little bit just with the wind," Navarro said. "In the end, she handled the conditions probably better than I did."