Petra Kvitova too good for Lucie Safarova in Connecticut final
Sunday 30 August 2015 16:16, UK
Defending champion Petra Kvitova used a dominant serve to beat Lucie Safarova 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 6-2 in their all-Czech final at the Connecticut Open.
Kvitova faced only one break point and was never broken as she remained unbeaten in seven career matches against her compatriot.
The second seed collected her 17th WTA title and her third in New Haven after victories in 2012 and 2014.
After a disappointing middle of the season during which she was slowed by a bout of mononucleosis, Kvitova will head into this week's US Open with renewed confidence.
"I feel terrible, but doesn't matter," Kvitova said. "I will have a day off. It was very tiring."
There was little between them in the first set as both held serve easily before Safarova prevailed in the tie-break.
However, Safarova, who did not face a break point in the first set, could not maintain her hot start and it was all Kvitova from then on as the world No 5 prevailed in a match that lasted two hours 18 minutes.
"She's a big hitter," Safarova said of Kvitova. "She's putting a lot of pressure on you, serving really big. She was just going for it today, striking it well."
Kvitova, the fifth seed at the US Open, faces German Laura Siegemundin the first round in New York while sixth seed and losing French Open finalist Safarova will be up against Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko in a rematch of their New Haven semi-final.
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