When Radwanska won the first five games of the match, it appeared she might steamroll Svitolina like she did Petra Kvitova in her 6-1, 6-1 semifinal victory.
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Radwanska capped the week with a 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory over Elina Svitolina Saturday at the Connecticut Tennis Center, winning her first title in New Haven.
“I am so happy I played my best tennis today, everything went for me”, she said. Svitolina, who upset Serena Williams at the Rio Summer Games, reset her own game. Saturday she was taking on Elina Svitolina in the final.
Poland’s Radwanska staved off three sets points to send the second set into a tiebreaker.
She takes home just over $130,000 for winning in CT, but also earned enough points to clinch the U.S. Open Series bonus challenge.
New Haven is now the second title of 2016 and 19th overall for Radwanska.
Looking to join Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki as a four-time victor in the tournament, Kvitova overpowered the Olympic doubles champion, breaking her four times – three during the 25-minute final set.
“I was very disappointed to lose the second set after leading 5-0. I’m so glad I could come back and have that success”.
“I was actually not planning on completely playing this week”.
“A great week for me”, Radwanska said. But I was kind of expecting this because she’s so experienced and knows what she can and cannot do.
In other 2016 Connecticut Open semifinal results, the team of doubles world no. 1 Sania Mirza and doubles world no. 16 Monica Niculescu reach their first finals appearance as a doubles team. “I think that sometimes I can’t really pay too much attention to how I feel”, the Czech said.
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Yet Bouchard took a 3-1 lead during the initial commitment, but she then collapsed conceding 10 consecutive games. Radwanska netted a forehand of her own to put Svitolina level at 5-all. “I work hard on the mental side of my game and I think it is one of my strengths”. “She always plays this way, really low”.
