Hantuchova wins Pattaya Open

Sports

Hantuchova wins Pattaya Open

Close

Daniela Hantuchova successfully defended her Pattaya Open title by beating Maria Kirilenko.

13 February,2012 04:44 am

Slovakias third-seeded Daniela Hantuchova successfully defended her Pattaya Open title on Sunday, beating fourth seed Russian Maria Kirilenko in a marathon three hour 14-minute battle.The three sets victory 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-3 was Hantuchovas fifth career title, and means the world number 20 is now unbeaten in 10 matches at the Thai resort, where her victory this year brings her $37,000.It feels great, said Hantuchova. I thought it was an incredible match. Maria was playing really well and we were fighting for every single point.Even though I lost the first set very closely I just kept going and didnt really look back and always just tried to focus on the next point. That was the key.Her Russian opponent and world number 26 Kirilenko was playing in her 10th career final, and hoping to win her first title since she beat Samantha Stosur in Seoul in 2008.In a match contested largely from the baseline, Hantuchova struggled at first to find her rhythm and dropped her serve with a double-fault in the opening game.In the second set, both players held break points, but it was Hantuchova who broke in the first and final games.The final set began with both players dropping their serve to love.Hantuchova then held off a break point at 1-1, failed to convert three break points for a 3-1 lead and another to lead 4-2, but safely served out the match after her opponent had produced her seventh double-fault.Im disappointed to lose in the final, said Kirilenko. But if I look back I almost lost the first match so Im trying take the positive things from the tournament.After the Australian Open I didnt play for nine days because I was injured, and today I was in the final so I think its a good result still.