Jessica Pegula and Jannik Sinner Win Canadian Open Titles
Locker Room
August 14, 2023
Jessica Pegula has become the first American woman to win the Canadian Open since the great Serena Williams back in 2013.
And Jannik Sinner underlined why he is classy enough to become the main rival to the phenomenal Carlos Alcaraz going forward.
The willowy Italian defeated Australian hot-shot Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-1 to take the men’s singles title in Toronto.
Meanwhile world number three Pegula’s final display was even more emphatic as she thrashed Liudmila Samsonova 6-1, 6-0 in just 49 minutes.
Jessica Pegula and Jannik Sinner will be huge stars and serious contenders at Wimbledon 2024.
Pegula has reached the quarter-finals of every Grand Slam in the recent past. But now, at the age of 29, it looks as though she is capable of major glory at last.
Her progress to the final in Canada was every bit as gruelling as her level in the showpiece was astonishing.
Jessica Pegula edged three-set epics against her friend Coco Gauff and then the world number one, Iga Swiatek.
And the strategy in the final seemed to be to blow Samsonova away before she could find any rhythm at all. It worked! Pegula’s reserves of energy after a tough campaign weren’t tested too much.
It wasn’t that her rival played bad tennis, though. She’s a top twenty star in her own right. Pegula simply raised her level to a degree that couldn’t be matched.
When Samsonova executed a brilliant drop shot in the second set, for example, Pegula just raced to the net and conjured a deft cross-court winner. That seemed to settle it.
Jessica said later: ‘Beating Coco in the quarter-finals and Iga were two really tough wins back-to-back. Being able to do that and then just come out today and play a really clean match was kind of great.
‘I felt like I didn’t have a ton of pressure at any point – or I wasn’t worried too much today.’
Jessica Pegula needs to stay this relaxed at the business end of the US Open – and Wimbledon 2024 next summer.
Meanwhile Sinner seems to be moving from strength to strength in his efforts to keep up with Carlos Alcaraz. What a rivalry we’ll enjoy in years to come!
Jannik said of his latest success: ‘It means a lot. This is a great result. I was proud how I handled the situation.’
This was Sinner’s first ATP Masters 1000 triumph. He’s learning to handle the big occasions just like Pegula.
Will you be there to see Jessica Pegula and Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon 2024?
Glory at the greatest Grand Slam of them all does seem within their grasp now.