Hobart
Singles – Final: Elena Vesnina def. (9) Mona Barthel 6-3 6-4
The author well remembers first seeing Elena Vesnina at a Challenger or so eight so years ago. She was the cute kid in Challenger qualifying — and one of the few who showed real game. She also was the hardest worker in the entire field. It seems like a short time ago, so it was rather funny when the WTA press report on this match said that Vesnina has had a “long and successful career.” Their memories seem shorter than ours…. But we will certainly agree with the WTA on one thing: Those six previous finals Vesnina had lost were very discouraging. We had thought she would never take a title. But she came in very determined, and controlled the match almost completely. And so, of course, she wins her first career title. She was thrilled: “I feel such relief right now. Honestly I just want to cry…. I was a little nervous before the final, but in general I felt good during the match. I just told myself, ‘This is my time — I just have to do it, and if I get a chance, take it.'” She did. And will rise to about #47 as a result. And she has nothing to defend in Melbourne.
Mona Barthel’s winning streak here ends at twelve. But she kept herself in the Top Forty, and she will have an Australian Open seed to help her in climbing higher.
Doubles – Final: Muguruza/Torro-Flor def. Babos/Minella 6-3 7-6(7-5)
This was a day of firsts. Neither of today’s doubles champions had ever won a WTA title of any kind. Garbine Muguruza (Blanco) had never even played a WTA doubles match! She had help along the way — the draw was feeble, and the top two seeded teams pulled out. Still, it’s a first title. And she’s young enough that it likely won’t be a last.
©Daily Tennis News Wire
Topics: Elena Vesnina, Garbine Muguruza, Hobart Tennis News, Mona Barthel, Sports, Tennis News
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