Everything you need to know about the Toronto 2024 final

The National Bank Open final is set. Defending champion and World No.6 Jessica Pegula will face a resurgent Amanda Anisimova for one of the biggest titles of the season. 

Here's what you need to know about this all-American final:

When is the singles final?

The singles final will be played on Monday, Aug. 12 at 6:00 p.m.

Toronto is on Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -4) 

What are the points and prize money at stake?

Toronto is the seventh WTA 1000 tournament of the season. By making the final, Pegula and Anisimova have assured themselves 650 ranking points and $308,320 in prize money. 

A win on Monday would give the winner a total take of 1,000 points and $523,485. 

Anisimova entered the week ranked No.132 and has assured herself a return to the Top 50. A title would move her back into the Top 40 and closing in on a potential seeding at the US Open. 

How did Pegula and Anisimova get here?

No.6 Pegula came into her second WTA 1000 title defense wary of the week to come, after playing singles and doubles for the United States at the Paris Olympics. Five matches later, she has not lost a set, defeating Karolina Pliskova, Ashlyn Krueger, Peyton Stearns and Diana Shnaider. 

"I would say I was probably playing better last year, but to be fair, it seems weird this week," Pegula said. "I don't feel like anyone's playing, like, great tennis, it's been kind of ugly matches. I don't really know why. 

"I think one is we're back to the regular duty, the lighter balls, which maybe are flying a little bit more on us, and then obviously the last couple days the conditions have just been really, really tough."

While Team USA was grinding away in Paris, Anisimova was quietly building momentum on the North American hard courts. She powered into the quarterfinals of the Mubadala Citi DC Open last week and followed it up with an outstanding series of wins in Toronto. 

Playing in just her third Toronto main draw, Anisimova knocked off four straight Top 20 opponents, beating No.10 Daria Kasatkina, No.17 Anna Kalinskaya, No.3 Aryna Sabalenka, and No.15 Emma Navarro in the semifinals. 

How do they stack up?

Pegula won their two prior matches, including a tough three-set win at Charleston this year. There, Pegula came back to win 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3). 

What milestones are at stake on Saturday?

Pegula is bidding to win her sixth Hologic WTA Tour title and second of the season. Toronto would be Pegula's third WTA 1000 title, after 2022 Guadalajara and 2023 Montreal. Pegula is bidding to become the first player to go back-to-back in Montreal and Toronto since Martina Hingis in 1999 and 2000. 

Anisimova is playing in her first WTA final at any level since 2022 Melbourne, and bidding to win her first title since that event. Toronto is her first WTA 1000 final and she is trying to win her third career title. 

What are they saying?

Anismova: "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 that 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. So, yeah, I knew that I still had many years that I wanted to play."

Pegula: "I think Amanda has always been a really super talented player, and is a top player when she's healthy and she's playing. Obviously she took of a little bit of a break there, which is great, and it's good to see her back playing top tennis. I think everyone knows she's a threat every time she steps on court. She's probably one of the biggest, cleanest ball strikers I've ever played against, so when she's on it can be really, really tough."

Amanda: "I think that even in juniors, like for many years I've had a lot of matches that I've been mentally strong, and I've obviously pushed through so many difficult things. There have been moments in matches where I haven't been able to do that as well. Taking last year off, I think that I really had the time to prepare myself for hardships like that, or challenges that I could face, and I have the tools to help me in those moments, but I think that deep down I've always had that mental toughness to push through pain or a challenge."

Pegula: "Getting a chance to defend my title is something that doesn't always happen, so I'm excited that I get to put myself in a good spot tomorrow to do so. I think it's cool to be, to have my name with a lot of other really big names in history that have either played well here or been able to defend the title as well, so it's super special."