BENCIC BASKS IN DUBAI GLORY
Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic kisses her trophy after defeating Czech Petra Kvitova 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to win Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title on Saturday.
For the first time in six years, the women’s singles final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships enjoyed the drama of a third set.
It was Petra Kvitova that had won the last Dubai three-set women’s singles final in 2013. But on a glorious Saturday evening, it was the unseeded Swiss Belinda Bencic that became the newest Dubai champion, winning what was only the second three-set final of the award-winning tournament in the last 10 years.
With a 6-3 1-6 6-2 victory in the final over Kvitova, Bencic, the world number 45, has put her career back on track following battles with poor form and injuries.
Having saved six match points in her third round win over eighth seed Aryna Sabalenka, Bencic ended sixth seed Elina Svitolina’s hopes of becoming the first woman to win three-straight Dubai titles with another three-set win in the semifinal.
Then in the final, she survived anxious moments while serving for the match at 5-2 in the third set, saving two break points before winning on her second match point – her first over Kvitova in four attempts and her fourth win over a top 10 player in this tournament.
“This is amazing. I cannot believe it. It’s been an amazing tournament for me. Congrats to Petra. She played an amazing tournament. It was an honour to be on the court with her,” said Bencic after winning her third career title.
The 21-year-old Bencic, who reached a career high ranking of 7 in February 2016 before injuries and poor form hampered her progress, was in complete command in the first set against the two-time Wimbledon champion, breaking the Czech thrice to go one set up.
But the 28-year-old Kvitova, who came back from a set down to win twice in the tournament, hit back in the second set in stunning fashion. Kvitova found the rhythm on her serve, hitting the angles brilliantly and playing with much more freedom on her returns as she broke the Swiss thrice to take the final into the third set.
But Bencic was unstoppable in the third set as she won her first title of the year.
Meanwhile, singles semifinalist Su-Wei Hsieh of Taiwan ended her Dubai campaign with the doubles trophy on Saturday.
Partnering Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic, Hsieh won the title beating seventh seeded pair of Ekaterina Makarova of Russia and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic in straight sets 6-4 6-4.
This was the first Dubai title for Hsieh — a two-time Grand Slam champion in doubles — having lost the last year’s final with Chinese Peng Shuai.
Inspired by their Dubai win, Hsieh and Strycova could continue their partnership this season. “I won’t leave her,” Strycova said.
“I’m happy to play together. We always enjoy. I mean, last week was tough, but I was very positive,” the 33-year-old Hsieh said.
“I don’t really worry about it the ups and downs. We tried really hard this week to improve. We were able to that.” It is very good combination what we do. We covering. We are running everywhere. Was pretty fun. Always fight. Partner always fighting with you.
Strycova said playing doubles with a player like Hsieh becomes easy because the latter’s superb net play. “Well, Su is unbelievable at the net. I mean, not just at the net, she is so good overall. I mean, she has the magic hands. Sometimes I can finish it pretty easy at the net, and she can prepare me the balls and the rally,” the 32-year-old Czech doubles specialist said.
“She knows exactly where she’s playing. She says it, she goes for it. I know it’s going to be there. I think that’s why she’s playing also very good in singles. You can see the big hitters has problems to play against her because she’s everywhere.”