Second-seeded Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan and Zheng Jie of China and defeated sisters Anastasia and Arina Rodionova 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 10-7 to win the Malaysian Open doubles title yesterday.
The Taiwanese-Chinese duo won their first title in just their second event together and earned US$22,000 for the victory that came in 102 minutes.
Zheng had previously won 12 doubles titles and Chan has won nine, with different partners. It was also some consolation for Zheng, who was knocked out in the second round of the singles draw on Thursday.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Anastasia Rodionova, who is now an Australian citizen, and her younger sister Arina, who is still Russian, crumbled in the second set when Zheng and Chan improved their serving.
In the super tie-break, Zheng and Chan raced to a 4-0 lead. The Rodionova sisters, who were also chasing their first doubles title, managed to get back to 9-7, but could not clinch the set.
Following the doubles, Alisa Kleybanova beat top seed Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-2 in a rain-disrupted all-Russian singles final to claim her first WTA title.
The 20-year-old world No. 29, playing in her first tour final, ramped up her big serve to great effect to see off her far more experienced compatriot and win the US$220,000 tournament.
The match was just eight minutes old and tied at 1-1 when a torrential downpour brought play to a stop.
Kleybanova returned from the break invigorated and proceeded to win the next three games, before world No. 7 Dementieva battled her way into the match by breaking back for 4-3.
The revival proved to be short-lived, however, and Kleybanova muscled her way to another break, before serving out to go a set up, bringing up set-point with her fourth ace.
The 28-year-old Dementieva, looking for her third title in just five outings this season after success in Sydney and Paris, had little more security on her serve in the second set.
There was a brief rally when the Olympic champion battled her way to a break-point in the second game, but Kleybanova saved it and never looked like giving up the lead from then on, serving out to love to claim the match.
■DUBAI OPEN
AFP, DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Novak Djokovic of Serbia won the weather-hit Dubai Open yesterday, defeating Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a rollercoaster of a final.
The match had been held over from Saturday because of heavy rain, with defending champion Djokovic 7-5, 2-0 ahead.
At that stage, the Serb had appeared to be coasting to his first ever defense of an ATP title when the first rain seen in the Emirates since early January sent players and fans alike scampering for cover.
All that changed when the two players got back on court in hot, sunny conditions yesterday, however.
Youzhny first of all broke back to level at 4-4 and then, helped by Djokovic errors, he leveled the set scores.
Djokovic regained the initiative at the start of the deciding set, breaking Youzhny’s serve with a big forehand down the line in the second game as he moved out into a 3-0 lead over the Russian.
Once again, however, the Russian dug deep to break back two games later, drawing level once more at 3-3, but two unforced errors gave Djokovic two break-points and he converted the second of those when Youzhny hit a forehand long after an energy-sapping rally.
Djokovic served out to clinch his first title win of the year and consolidate his No. 2 ranking.
■MEXICAN OPEN
AP, ACAPULCO, MEXICO
Venus Williams came from a set down to defend her Mexican Open title, while David Ferrer defeated good friend and fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero to end his 14-match winning streak on Saturday.
Williams beat Polona Hercog 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 for her second consecutive title — this one on clay and another a week ago on hard courts in Dubai.
Ferrer lost to Ferrero at the Copa Telmex last week in Buenos Aires, but got a some revenge with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory in Acapulco. Ferrero’s winning streak had included ATP titles in his last two tournaments, in Brazil and Argentina.
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