Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki celebrated her new world No. 1 ranking yesterday by capturing her sixth title of the year at the China Open, outlasting Russia’s Vera Zvonareva, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Earlier, defending champion Novak Djokovic captured his second ATP title of the year in the men’s tournament with an easy 6-2, 6-4 win over Spain’s David Ferrer in a rain-delayed final.
Wozniacki’s victory came as sweet revenge for her loss to Zvonareva in the US Open semi-finals.
The Dane looked tentative at the start of the match, giving Zvonareva several free points on mis-hits and falling behind 3-1. However, she stormed back to take the next five games and the set.
In the second set, the momentum shifted, Zvonareva securing the key break to go up 3-1 and closing it out to force the decider.
In the third, Wozniacki stepped up her game, peppering the lines with backhands to build a 3-0 lead.
Zvonareva had chances to break back, twice going up on Wozniacki’s serve love-30, but the champion shut her down both times. The Dane sealed the win with a deft forehand volley.
Djokovic led Ferrer 3-1 in the first set on Sunday when play was suspended due to rain, forcing the players to return for a second day.
The Serb picked up where he left off to wrap up the set as Ferrer made a number of unforced errors.
Ferrer mounted a spirited challenge in the second, breaking Djokovic to go up 3-2. He then consolidated the break but the Serb roared back, repeatedly pressuring Ferrer on his serve with long baseline rallies until he cracked, bringing the score to 4-4.
Djokovic then held his serve and punished Ferrer with his powerful forehand in the final game. He closed out the win when Ferrer dumped a backhand into the net on the second match point.
SHANGHAI MASTERS
AFP, SHANGHAI
Rafael Nadal squeezed in a hectic practice session watched by hundreds of enthusiastic Chinese fans as the winner of the weekend Tokyo title got used to conditions at this week’s Shanghai Masters.
Before light rain forced interruptions in the program, French 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga reached the second round by beating Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Jurgen Melzer, the No. 13 seed, struggled to get past Yang Tsung-hua of Taiwan 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) in a match halted for more than an hour by second-set rain.
JAPAN WOMEN’S OPEN
AP, OSAKA, Japan
Samantha Stosur of Australia began her defense of the Japan Women’s Open yesterday with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Japan’s Sachie Ishizu.
Stosur coasted through the first set in 24 minutes and made the only break of the second set to go up 5-3 before serving out the match.
In other matches, second-seeded Marion Bartoli of France defeated compatriot Julie Coin 6-2, 6-1, No. 4 Maria Kirilenko of Russia overpowered Japan’s Kurumi Nara 6-1, 6-0 and Taiwan’s Chang Kai-chen beat Lilia Osterloh of the US 7-5, 6-4.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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