TORONTO TITLE TRIUMPH AND OTHER ADVENTURES!
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October 3, 2025
I won my 37th career singles title in Toronto recently to end the summer on a high.
Celebrating on a boat going into the mists and turbulent waters beneath the nearby Niagara Falls was an incredible experience.
I’d already been up Toronto’s famous CN Tower with my partner Amy and eaten delicious sushi at a nearby roof top bar, with beautiful views across the whole of the city.
The tournament itself was called the Birmingham Classic – and there were some dramatic moments. I beat the up-and-coming USA player Maylee Phelps in the opening match, which was satisfying because I’d lost to her in Bolton earlier this year.
The final was a super-intense battle against my fellow Brit Cornelia Oosthuizen. I had to dig deep just to stay in it after I lost the first set and wasn’t playing my best tennis. Then I had to save two match points in the second-set tie-break.
But I found my game and got over the line 3-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-2. I was so proud of myself for that.
Maybe you can put some of the energy I still had for Toronto down to the way I recharged after my eighth US Open at Flushing Meadows. Once again I had an extremely tough singles draw at the Grand Slam, facing former number one and previous US Open Champion, Diede De Groot in the first round. The same draw I had been given at Wimbledon! Although this was a tough match up, I did notch up a good doubles win with my Dutch partner Jiske Griffioen, when we opened up against Maylee and Saki Takamuro with an emphatic 6-2, 6-0 victory.
Then we came up against eventual champions Li Xiao Hui and Ziyang Wang. We could have won the first set if we had taken our chances but then somewhat lost momentum during several rain delays throughout the second set. .
Overall I’d been pleased with my performances in America, including a really good mental and physical battle in Washington DC, before New York. I’d beaten a top twenty player called Macarena Cabrillano despite being 0-4 down in the final set.
Now that the US Open was over, I enjoyed a couple of days down time in New York before turning my thoughts to Toronto. Amy and I went for a ride through Central Park and I ate gluten-free pizza at our favourite place in Brooklyn Heights.
Completing the recharge was a night powder supplement developed by British Olympic champion sailor Ben Ainslie, which has really made a difference in my recovery and preparation.
Looking back, all little these things contributed to a good mindset for Toronto and my title charge there.
Now I have three weeks to relax and train before flying back across the Atlantic for the next big tournament in Indian Wells. I may go to Wimbledon during this quieter period for a nice dinner in the members’ restaurant there – it will be nice to have some time to enjoy being a member of the All England Club which I became earlier this year.
Looking back at the Championships this year, drawing Diede in the singles on a grass court was always going to be a very tough task for me. But we teamed up for the doubles and won our opening match – but just fell short in the semi-final, when neither of us played our best tennis.
I embraced the tournament and enjoyed it as always, particularly when my dad and cousin came up to watch me. No dream ending this year. Maybe it’ll be different at Wimbledon 2026!
In the mean time I can savour Toronto and look forward to Indian Wells.
I’ll keep you posted about how it all goes for the rest of the year!
Love,
Lucy x