MONTERREY: Russian third-seed tennis ace Diana Shnaider held on for a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory over second-seeded compatriot Ekaterina Alexandrova in Monterrey on Saturday to notch her fifth triumph in as many WTA finals.
Shnaider came up with the trophy in her last four chances in Hong Kong, Budapest, Bad Homburg and Hua Hin last year.
She looked well on her way after cruising through the first set and breaking Alexandrova in the opening game of the second.
But Alexandrova clawed back, breaking Shnaider in her last two service games of the second to force the third – in which Shnaider again broke early and this time made it stand up.
Alexandrova knocks out defending champ Noskova to reach Monterrey semis
Alexandrova had secured her berth in the title match earlier Saturday when Czech Marie Bouzkova retired from their rain-disrupted semi-final after dropping the first set 6-3.
Bouzkova had sought treatment for an apparent hip or groin injury before opting not to continue in the match that had been suspended the night before with the score level at 2-2.
The finalists face a quick turnaround to the US Open, where singles play gets underway on Sunday.
Shnaider is the 20th seed in the final Grand Slam of the year and will open her campaign in Flushing Meadows against Germany’s Laura Siegemund. Alexandrova, seeded 13th, will face Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova.
Bouzkova was also headed to New York, where she’ll be hoping to be fit for her opener against France’s Elisa Jacquemot.
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