Defending champion Jessica Pegula moved one step closer to retaining her title at the WTA Toronto Masters, defeating Russia's Diana Shnaider 6-4, 6-3 in the semi-final on Sunday. The victory puts Pegula on the brink of becoming the event's first consecutive winner since Martina Hingis achieved the feat in 2000.

Ranked sixth in the world, Pegula dispatched the 24th-ranked Shnaider in just 83 minutes, setting up an all-American final against Amanda Anisimova. Anisimova earned her spot in the final by overcoming US eighth seed Emma Navarro 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

Pegula, who has a 2-0 record against Anisimova, including a recent win in Charleston in April, spoke highly of her upcoming opponent. "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. "Tomorrow definitely is going to be a battle."

Shnaider, a 20-year-old left-hander, had her chances but ultimately fell short. Pegula held her nerve, especially during a critical 21-shot rally in the final game, which ended with Shnaider netting a backhand, sealing the match for Pegula.

This win propels Pegula into her 13th career WTA final, where she will seek her sixth title and second of the year, following her victory in Berlin in June.

On the other side, Anisimova reached her fourth career WTA final after dispatching her fourth top-20 opponent of the week, a first in her career. Notably, she ousted third-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals. Ranked 132nd in the world, Anisimova’s run to the final makes her the lowest-ranked finalist at the Canadian tournament in 40 years.

Reflecting on her journey, Anisimova, who took a nine-month mental health break from tennis last year, said, "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. There was still a lot I wanted to achieve."

In a hard-fought semi-final match against Navarro, Anisimova sealed her place in the final with an ace, overcoming challenging windy conditions and firing 28 winners to Navarro’s 10.

The final promises to be an exciting showdown as Pegula aims for back-to-back titles, while Anisimova, hungry for more success, looks to continue her remarkable comeback.