Marion Bartoli won the WTA Eastbourne International after beating Petra Kvitova 6-1 4-6 7-5 in the final.
French sixth seed overcomes injury to score three-set win
Marion Bartoli claimed victory in the WTA Eastbourne International tournament on Saturday after beating Petra Kvitova 6-1 4-6 7-5 in the final.
The French sixth seed overcame blustery winds, a groin injury and a determined fightback from her Czech opponent to win the Wimbledon warm-up event.
Bartoli had lost in the semi-finals at Eastbourne in each of the last four years but after beating Samantha Stosur earlier in the day, she also triumphed against fifth seed Kvitova in two hours and 15 minutes.
The 26-year-old, who is ranked ninth in the world, was the first to master the windy conditions and needed just 30 minutes to take the opening set as Kvitova made a series of loose shots and unforced forehand errors.
Bartoli appeared set for an early finish when she took a 3-1 lead at the start of the second set but Kvitova fought back after words of encouragement from her coach.
She began to find her range and form, winning the next three games to lead 4-3 before holding on to take the second set in 44 minutes.
Treatment
Bartoli appeared to further lose control when she needed treatment for a groin strain in the third game of the final set.
Despite limping, Bartoli played on and took control again in the seventh game to lead 4-3 after Kvitova served three double faults.
Bartoli then had a chance to seal the title on her own serve but Kvitova chose the perfect time to break for 5-5.
However, the Frenchwoman broke back immediately and then held her serve to win when Kvitova landed a return wide.
"It's great to come up with a win, but it was a huge challenge again today," said Bartoli, who finished runner-up to Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2007.
"I was not used to playing matches on the same day. It was an entertaining final. Petra was hitting the ball very hard and very deep, so she had all the credit for coming back.
"Then at the end it was just fighting and trying to find a way to win," she added.
Both had played their semi-final matches earlier in the day as both Friday's washout and the start of Wimbledon next week forced organisers to reschedule.
Bartoli beat Stosur 6-3 6-1, while Kvitova advanced when opponent Daniela Hantuchova retired with injury when 7-6 (11/9) 4-2 behind.
Difficult conditions
The Australian, who knocked out top seed and 2010 Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva, felt the strong wind and threat of rain destroyed her concentration.
"I thought the other day when I played Vera it was the worst I had ever played in, but I think today was even worse than that," said Stosur. "It definitely wasn't easy at all.
"It's one of those days where you've just got to try hard and do whatever you can to try and get through, because it's very hard to hit the shots that you want."
Meanwhile, Kvitova managed seven aces in her win in just over 90 minutes against Slovakia's Hantuchova, who knocked out Venus Williams in the quarter-finals.
