PATTAYA : Maria Kirilenko yesterday won the PTT Pattaya Open after defeating Sabine Lisicki 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 in the final at the Dusit Thani hotel.
Maria Kirilenko holds the winner’s trophy after defeating Sabine Lisicki in the final of the Pattaya Open.
Kirilenko, the world No.15, started off by breaking Lisicki in the third game of the first set to put it 2-1 lead but Lisicki broke back in the sixth game of the set to tie it 3-3.
Lisicki claimed the opening set by breaking at 6-5 when her Russian opponent put a forehand wide and she had an opportunity to take control when she held three break points for a 2-0 lead in the second.
Instead, it was Kirilenko who dominated much of the next hour, sweeping the next nine games to win the second set and build a 3-0 lead in the third.
Lisicki held her next service game with three aces as she staged a late revival, and she then saved two match points on her own serve when down 5-2.
Kirilenko then faltered, failing to serve out the match at 5-3 and allowing Lisicki to level at 5-5.
The next two games went against serve, as Lisicki broke to lead 6-5 but then dropped her own serve at love as she served for the match and Kirilenko then dominated the tiebreak.
"I had a birthday before the tournament started and had a cake in my room with some candles, and I made a wish," said Kirilenko, who turned 26 on Jan 25.
"The wish was to win this tournament and the wish came true."
"I was a little disappointed when I had two match points in the third set but I made some mistakes and Sabine came out strong.
"She breaks my serve and came to 5-4 which made my game a little bit frustrated before it go to the tiebreak."
Kirilenko took home US$40,000 (1,200,000 baht) plus 280 ranking points while Sabine Lisicki pocketed $20,000 (600,000 baht) and 200 points.
In the doubles final, Kimiko Date-Krumm and Casey Dellacqua won the title after beating Akgul Amanmuradova and Alexandra Panova 6-3, 6-2.
RESULTS
Singles' final: Maria Kirilenko (RUS) beat Sabine Lisicki (GER) 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(1)
Doubles: Kimiko Date-Krumm/Casey Dellacqua beat Akgul Amanmuradova/Alexandra Panova 6-3, 6-2