Elena Rybakina captures second WTA title over Shuai Zhang
Elena Rybakina has shrugged off a hip injury sustained in last night’s semi-final to capture her second WTA title at the Hobart International.
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ELENA Rybakina has shrugged off a hip injury sustained in last night’s semi-final to capture her second WTA title at the Hobart International.
The tournament third seed came into the decider under a cloud after calling for the trainer midway through the third set against Heather Watson but showed no signs of discomfort to defeat China’s Shuai Zhang in straight sets at the Domain Tennis Centre.
The 20-year-old – who emerged as one of the brightest prospects on tour last year in a breakout season – secured a 7-6(7), 6-3 victory in one hour and 33 minutes.
It followed her maiden title in Bucharest last year, and comes a week after she lost the final in Shenzhen.
Rybakina raced to a 4-1 lead in the opening set on the back of some blistering serves, firing down four aces in her opening two games and winning 15 of her first 16 points on her own serve.
However from 40-0 up in the seventh game she reeled off a host of unforced errors to allow Zheng to level the contest, with games going on serve to send the set to a tiebreaker.
Both players produced some scintillating tennis in the breaker, which Rybakina clinched 9-7 after an hour of play.
The second set went on serve through the first six games before Zhang left the door ajar when she sent a forehand wide to give the Kazak a break point opportunity, and she obliged by ripping a backhand down the line to move ahead 4-3.
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Rybakina consolidated the break before then closing out by breaking Zhang a second time, converting her first match point.
Rybakina fired 10 aces to one to highlight her major weapon, while also winning 79 per cent of points on her serve.
adam.j.smith@news.com.au
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