Simona Halep is one of the most successful women in the history of the National Bank Open. Her three titles since 2000 are tied for the most with the great Serena Williams and she only trails Monica Seles and Chris Evert, who each won four, for most wins in Canada in the Open Era.
That’s pretty illustrious company.
Halep also has an edge over Williams as the most successful woman at the Canadian 1000 event in the 21st century, as she is the only woman since 2000 to have won at least one title in both Toronto and Montreal. Her three wins at the National Bank Open were her most at any tournament.
On Monday, the 33-year-old Romanian announced her retirement following a first-round loss on home soil in Cluj-Napoca.
In honour of the former world No. 1 and two-time major champion, let’s revisit her three titles at the National Bank Open.
2016 – Montreal
- Seeding: 5
- Final: d. Madison Keys (10) 7-6(2), 6-3
- Seeds Beaten: 4
- Sets Lost: 2
- Games Lost: 36
In 2015, Halep was forced to retire in the National Bank Open final against the surprise teen finalist Belinda Bencic. A year later, in Montreal and healthy, the Romanian was not to be denied.
The draw was not kind to Halep that year as she faced future world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova in the third round, two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarter-finals, and the best player in the world that year Angelique Kerber in the semifinals. It was not easy, with the latter two pushing Halep to three sets, but the Romanian managed to fight her way into the final.
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There, she met another up-and-comer, 21-year-old Madison Keys, but Halep was not going to let another final be taken from her. She defeated the young American in straight sets to win her second WTA 1000 (then Premier 5) title of the season and first in Canada.
2018 – Montreal
- Seeding: 1
- Final: d. Sloane Stephens 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-4
- Seeds Beaten: 4
- Sets Lost: 2
- Games Lost: 48
Halep’s bid for the Montreal-Toronto double came up short in the semifinals in the Big Smoke in 2017, but she was primed to defend her title in Quebec as she entered the 2018 event as the top seed.
Once again, the Romanian faced a brutal draw in Montreal and she found herself up against it right from the start. Her opening match against future Roland-Garros runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was a thriller that Halep barely scraped through 7-6(9), 4-6, 7-5.
From there, she settled in with wins over the great Venus Williams, future Top 5 player Caroline Garcia, and future world No. 1/three-time major champion Ashleigh Barty to reach her third final in Canada in four years.
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In the final, Halep was up against the third seed and reigning US Open champion Sloane Stephens, a rematch of that year’s Roland-Garros final, won by Halep. The title match followed a similar script to the Romanian’s opening match, with Halep winning a tight first-set tiebreak, dropping the second, only to hang on and narrowly edge out the third to lift the trophy.
2022 – Toronto
- Seeding: 15
- Final: d. Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
- Seeds Beaten: 2
- Sets Lost: 2
- Games Lost: 50
Halep’s 10-match winning streak in Montreal came to an end in 2021 at the hands of Danielle Collins in the second round. By the time she arrived in Toronto the following summer, she had slid down the rankings and came into the event seeded 15th, her lowest ranking heading into the National Bank Open since 2012.
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Also for the first time since 2012, Halep did not have a first-round bye in Canada, but that did not seem to bother the Romanian. She did not drop a set on her way to the semifinals, including a quarter-final win over rising star Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals.
The challenge ratcheted up in the semis, where she rallied from a set down against future champion Jessica Pegula, handing the current two-time defending National Bank Open champion (as of Halep’s retirement in February 2025) her most recent loss in Canada.
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The final against unseeded surprise Beatriz Haddad Maia, who had beaten Leylah Annie Fernandez, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Belinda Bencic, and Karolina Pliskova on her way to the title match, was a thriller. Halep managed to hold off the Brazilian’s comeback bid to finally get her hands on the trophy in Toronto.
By adding a Toronto title to her two wins in Montreal, Halep became the sixth woman to win the National Bank Open at least once in each city, joining legends of the game Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, and Martina Hingis.
The victory in Toronto ended up being Halep’s last final and title on the WTA Tour.
The WTA's best return to Montreal this summer for the National Bank Open July 26 to Aug. 7, 2025 at IGA Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. Get your tickets today!
Feature Photo : Peter Power
