#TBT, 2000: The third time was a charm for Chanda Rubin in Quebec City

On this day 20 years ago, Chanda Rubin found herself in a familiar place. For the third straight year, she was in the finals of the Bell Challenge, a WTA event played in Quebec City, Canada. But those previous two times, Rubin had lost, in 1998 barely falling to fellow American Tara Snyder. The next year she’d also been beaten in three sets, this time by Jennifer Capriati.

In a way, Rubin’s progress in Quebec City paralleled the arc of her career. She’d first competed there in 1993 as a promising 17-year-old, losing in the second round to an occasional doubles partner, Linda Wild. Ranked 66th at the time, Rubin returned to Quebec City a year later having cracked the Top 30, and on that occasion reached the semis, a run she’d repeat in 1997. (Quebec City would also be where Rubin played the final singles match of her career, losing in the first round in 2006.)

Getty Images

The cornerstone of Rubin’s game was a tremendously powerful forehand and an exceptional fighting spirit. While still a teenager, she quickly earned a reputation for winning matches from seemingly impossible positions. In the third round of Roland Garros in 1995, Rubin found herself down 5-0, 40-love in the third set versus world No. 5 Jana Novotna. Rubin incredibly fought off nine match points and won that final set, 8-6.

A month later, at Wimbledon, Rubin toughed out Patricia Hy-Boulais, 17-15 in the third set. The next year Rubin won another epic, squeaking past Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, 16-14 in the third. Soon after that effort, Rubin reached a career high ranking of No. 6 in the world.

So, having lost in the Quebec City finals twice in a row, Rubin sought to go one step further in 2000. Ranked No. 32 in the world upon arrival, Rubin fought past three opponents before once again facing Capriati in the finals. Just over a month older than Capriati, Rubin had been familiar with the Floridian’s game for years. The two had played eight times, Capriati winning five, including the previous year's final, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. But Rubin had won their most recent match, a three-setter in Filderstadt, Germany.

And on this occasion in Quebec City, Rubin was in control, winning the match 6-4, 6-2. Bell Challenge accepted—and conquered. It would be her third of seven WTA singles titles.