Wickmayer wins 2nd career WTA title
LINZ, Austria -- Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium has won her second career WTA Tour title, defeating Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4 in the Generali Ladies final.
Need the scores from any match played in today's tournaments? The third-seeded Belgian won five straight games from 3-3 to take the opening set and start the second with a break. Kvitova broke back immediately, but dropped serve again to trail 3-2.
Wickmayer wrapped up the victory on the first match point when Kvitova sent a forehand into the net.
"It was an unbelievable week for me," said Wickmayer, who also beat Kvitova en route to the U.S. Open semifinals. "I am so happy I pulled this one through. It was a tough match against Petra, who has done so well here all week."
Kvitova, who upset Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals, sent many of her groundstrokes wide or long.
The 24th-ranked Wickmayer, who turns 20 on Tuesday, had beaten top-seeded Flavia Pennetta in Saturday's semifinals. Her first WTA title came in May at Estoril, Portugal. She had already qualified for next month's Tournament of Champions in Bali, Indonesia.
It was the second final for the 55th-ranked Kvitova, who won in January at Hobart, Australia. She had not been beyond the quarterfinal stages of a WTA Tour event since then.
Wickmayer is the third Belgian champion in Linz. Sabine Appelmans won in 1994 and 1996 and Justine Henin in 2002.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
