Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki claimed her 20th career title by beating top seed Samantha Stosur 6-2 4-6 7-5 in a thrilling Kremlin Cup tennis final on Sunday.
The third-seeded Dane trailed Stosur 1-3 in the third set but recovered her poise to draw level, then broke the Australian in the 12th game to clinch her second title of the season after winning the Korea Open last month.
“I think I played some good tennis,” Wozniacki, who saved three break points in the ninth game of the final set, told a news conference.
“Sam also played well and it could have gone either way. But I hit some good shots close to the lines on important points and it made the difference,” added the former world number one.
Stosur, who fought back from a set down to beat another former world number one Ana Ivanovic in Saturday’s semi-final, looked on course to end her 13-month title drought after she broke Wozniacki to love at the start of the final set. But the Australian, who was looking for her first title since winning last year’s U.S. Open, lost her serve in the sixth game and was broken decisively in the 12th.
She saved the first match point with an ace but missed a running forehand on the second to concede defeat after two hours and 13 minutes.
“I definitely had a few chances. I think I went for the right shots but missed by a couple of inches,” said Stosur, who has a poor record in finals, winning only three of 15.
“I’d rather be aggressive and go for my shots than wait for my opponent to make a mistake,” added the world number nine, who will be the first reserve at the WTA Championships, which start in Istanbul on Tuesday.
“Despite the defeat I’m happy with the way I played for the whole tournament here. I’m going to Istanbul tonight, will have one day to prepare myself, and if I get a chance to play there, I think I’ll be ready.”
Italian second seed Andreas Seppi came from behind to beat Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 3-6 7-6 6-3 in the men’s final. Bellucci, seeded fourth, twice served for the match in the second set, but Seppi fought back to force a tiebreak.
The world number 25 then secured a key break midway through the final set before claiming his second title of the year.
