SAGOLJ, THAILAND - Vera Zvonareva successfully defended her Pattaya Open title, beating hometown favourite Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-4, 6-4 in the final yesterday .
SAGOLJ, THAILAND - Vera Zvonareva successfully defended her Pattaya Open title, beating hometown favourite Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-4, 6-4 in the final yesterday .
The top-seeded Russian collected her 10th career title and also became the first player to win the singles title two years in a row in the 19-year history of the event.
With a 5-2 lead, Zvonareva had two match points at 15-40 on Tamarine's serve but missed an easy backhand to lose the first before the Thai fought off the second with a good serve.
Tamarine held to follow at 3-5 and broke the next game for 4-5 as the Russian served three double faults. Instead of seizing the opportunity, Tamarine sent two successive backhands to the net to drop the first set.
Errors again plagued Tamarine in the second set as she was down a break at 2-4. But Zvonareva handed the break right back, serving a double fault and hit a backhand wide for the Thai to follow at 3-4.
The Russian then held the crucial ninth game to take a lead at 5-4 . - Sapa-AP
Zvonareva makes history in Thailand
SAGOLJ, THAILAND - Vera Zvonareva successfully defended her Pattaya Open title, beating hometown favourite Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-4, 6-4 in the final yesterday .
SAGOLJ, THAILAND - Vera Zvonareva successfully defended her Pattaya Open title, beating hometown favourite Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-4, 6-4 in the final yesterday .
The top-seeded Russian collected her 10th career title and also became the first player to win the singles title two years in a row in the 19-year history of the event.
With a 5-2 lead, Zvonareva had two match points at 15-40 on Tamarine's serve but missed an easy backhand to lose the first before the Thai fought off the second with a good serve.
Tamarine held to follow at 3-5 and broke the next game for 4-5 as the Russian served three double faults. Instead of seizing the opportunity, Tamarine sent two successive backhands to the net to drop the first set.
Errors again plagued Tamarine in the second set as she was down a break at 2-4. But Zvonareva handed the break right back, serving a double fault and hit a backhand wide for the Thai to follow at 3-4.
The Russian then held the crucial ninth game to take a lead at 5-4 . - Sapa-AP