Simona Halep of Romania delivered a spectacular performance to beat Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia in three sets. Halep fought through a fluctuating match, eventually winning 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 to take home the women's singles crown in Toronto. With this win, the Romanian star has now conquered the WTA 1000 Canadian Open three times, halting the impressive run of Haddad Maia, a first-time finalist. The two competitors locked in an absorbing battle for two hours and 16 minutes, both playing at their absolute peak.
This victory marks the first time in Halep's career that she has won a specific title on three separate occasions. The grueling win also signals a stylish comeback to the WTA's top ten for the 2019 Wimbledon winner. After an injury sidelined her for much of last year, causing her rank to drop from 2nd to 20th, the two-time Grand Slam champion will now climb from 15th back up to the 6th spot in the upcoming Monday rankings.
The 30-year-old Romanian has finally returned to a WTA 1000 final victory, her first since winning the Rome Masters two years ago. Showing great mental fortitude and technical skill, Halep secured her 38th win of the season. Only the world number one, Iga Swiatek, has a better record this year with 49 wins.
Meanwhile, Beatriz Haddad Maia enjoyed a fantastic tournament, highlighted by a major win over the top seed, Iga Swiatek. The Brazilian entered the final with high confidence, especially since she had previously beaten Halep in the Birmingham semi-finals on her way to that title.
Haddad Maia got off to a flying start, breaking Halep's serve in the very first game after the Romanian committed four double faults. However, trailing 3-2, Halep regained her footing, winning four games in a row to take the first set. The 26-year-old Brazilian fought back in the second, charging to a 4-0 lead. Despite Halep's attempts to mount a comeback, Haddad Maia stayed strong to secure the set and force a decider.
The final set began with a trade of breaks, but Halep eventually found an extra gear with her groundstrokes to establish a 4-1 lead. As the match neared its end, the Romanian increased her aggression, hitting several stunning shots to seal the victory. This performance firmly establishes Halep as a top contender for the upcoming US Open.
In the men's draw, Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta took the title after defeating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. This followed a grueling semi-final match where the Spaniard put on one of the most resilient displays of his career to beat Dan Evans.