USA's Amanda Sobhy Makes First Final Since Achilles Injury Return at Canadian Open

USA No.2 Amanda Sobhy secured back-to-back final appearances at the Canadian Women's Open in Toronto, ending the run of France's unseeded Melissa Alves to reach her first final since recovering from a second Achilles tendon rupture.

The defending champion was quick out the blocks in the opening game and looked focused and sharp as she hunted consecutive final appearances at the Silver-level event. After taking the opening game 11-3, Sobhy's pressure was unrelenting. She continued to twist and turn Alves, who was starting to show signs of serious physical discomfort.

Alves was clearly not 100% as the match progressed and after losing the second game, seemed to have nothing left to give as she trailed 10-0 in the final game. Sobhy, a former world No.3, eventually took it 11-1 to book her spot in the final.

"I'm happy with that," said Sobhy, the world No.20 now in her 30th Tour final.

"I think it's taken some time to find my find my form again and in my mind I'm back at my top level and I think that just needed to sink in. I'm really enjoying competing and bringing the competitor out of me is quite tricky but it's coming back. I love the vibes here and I'm hoping to try and become a two-time champ.

"I think it's just trusting myself, trusting my game, trusting that I know how to play and despite my ranking, I'm always a fighter and competitor. If I just go out there and believe in myself, I think I can beat anyone on tour so it's just getting my head around that."

Sobhy's opponent in the final will be Belgium's No.2 seed Tinne Gilis, after the world No.6 produced a confident performance to beat another surprise semi-finalist Tesni Murphy in four games to reach the 16th final of her career.

Murphy was far too good in game one, flying out the traps and showing no signs of her brutal 75-minute quarter final clash with Nada Abbas from the night previous. Gilis had not quite hit her stride but credit to Murphy who picked her off at every opportunity to lead 1/0.

Gilis found her range in game two and started to gain some confidence in her short game with winners started to come from the Belgian's racket. Gilis was starting to expose Murphy's movement and equalised by winning 11-8 in game two. Both traded blows in the third game, with quality winners often followed by careless errors or loose drives, letting each other back into the game. A 'No Let' took Gilis to 10-9 and a backhand drop missed by Murphy gave the No.2 seed the lead.

Gilis battened down the hatches and made herself hard to beat in the fourth. She used height, hit wide crosscourts and made Murphy earn any potential points. Her consistency gave her a mammoth 8-1 lead and it wasn't long before she booked her place in the final.

"I had to fight for every point, it was not easy at all and I have to give her great credit," said Gilis.

"I always know it's going to be enjoyable. We can have a laugh on there together and that makes it more enjoyable, but it was a really good match.

"I'm excited for tomorrow. First of all it's so impressive that Amanda is back in a final. Last time we played, I lost in five in Hong Kong so I'm hoping to get my revenge tomorrow!"

In the Cambridge Groups of Clubs Classic, an accompanying men's Copper event, the top two seeds, Baptiste Masotti and Leonel Cardenas, both scored wins to set up an enticing title decider. Top seed Masotti was in fine form as he defeated compatriot Gregoire Marche in straight games, whereas Cardenas was forced to recover from a game down to get past Israeli Daniel Poleshchuk to earn his place in the final.