Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska survived a late challenge from No.10 seed Elina Svitolina on route to claiming her first Connecticut Open title, 6-1, 7-6 (2).
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The title is the second this season for the Radwanska, who also won the Shenzhen Open in China in January.
Radwanska was given a wild card berth to get into the tournament.
Radwanska was far more consistent, reaching her 26th WTA Tour final and second of the year. Playing on the same surface as the Open, Radwanska was at times dominant in her four victories – she beat Jelena Ostapenko, Kirsten Flipkens, Kvitova and Svitolina. In the end, the 22-year-old Canadian was so impressed, she was tempted to quit tennis for a normal college life.
Svitolina earlier took care of Sweden’s Johanna Larsson in straight sets, advancing with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. And me, I was a bit up and down.
U.S. Open Series victor: In addition to winning Saturday’s title, which earned her $130,000, Radwanska also clinched the U.S. Open Series title. “Here we go. We have a trophy”.
In hindsight, “I don’t think that was the right play”, Bouchard said.
“There is no time to be sad because U.S. Open is just on Monday”, she said. The Russian prevailed in their first two encounters in Miami and Wimbledon. The timing couldn’t be better for Busta, 25, who will play his first Open match Tuesday. “I was really surprised myself when I find out yesterday I can be No. 1 in that list”.
“I think she’s a great player”, Larsson said of Svitolina”. Radwanska took hold of the set through the service game by winning 12 of 14 (86%) first serve points and 7 of 15 (47%) second serves. Yet, Radwanska would earn a key break to serve for the match up 5-4 after Svitolina netted a forehand on break point.
In the doubles final, India’s Sania Mirza and Romania’s Monica Niculescu defeated the Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko and Taiwan’s Chuang Chia-jung 7-5, 6-4.
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The Kvitova train continues to roll on at the Connecticut Open after the Czech eased past Makarova 6-3 6-1.
