Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula claim women’s doubles Toronto title

MONTREAL: Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula of America claimed the National Bank Open women’s doubles title on Sunday, beating Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez.

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula outlasted Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez 6-4, 6-7(5), [10-5].

After trailing behind 3-0, Gauff and Pegula excelled on return as the first set progressed, prevailing in six of the next seven games to take the one-set lead.

Melichar-Martinez and Perez held strong in the second set, saving three championship points at 5-4 and three more at 6-5. Bold play at the net by Perez led her teammate back from 6-2 down to 6-5 in the match-tiebreak. A Pegula forehand forced an error to claim the women’s doubles title.

“Being No.1 is pretty cool. I have no words. … I didn’t really know it was coming this week and what I had to do. But [Pegula] told me yesterday,” Gauff said in her post-match press conference.

“As a kid, I’m going to be honest with you, I didn’t even know there was separate rankings for singles and doubles. But when I got on tour and when I realized I could do well in doubles, yes. … I wanted to. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be No.1 in anything?” she added.

“I’m so glad that I could help [Gauff] get there today. I think we’re No. 1 in the Race and the top two Americans in singles. So it’s been a pretty cool little journey that we’re on together, even though I’m ten years older,” Pegula said.