Nervy Svetlana Kuznetsova wins Mercury Insurance Open despite shaky knees

1
Head Radical

Svetlana Kuznetsova choked for the first time in her life and blew four match points in the second set tiebreak (two of those with double faults), but still the Russian managed to defeat fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska and win the Mercury Insurance Open in San Diego. Final score: 6-4 6-7(7) 6-3.

“My knees were shaking and I couldn’t push on my serve and now I know why people double fault on match points,” said the unseeded Kuznetsova who wasted leads of 4-0 and 6-3 in the tiebreak.

“She’s a great player, a top player,” said the world No.10 Radwanska. “Now, she’s lost some points and she’s behind me [in the rankings]. But in the important moments, she was better.”

Both Kuznetsova and Radwanska were playing their first final since Beijing in October, when Kuznetsova beat Radwanska 6-2 6-4. By winning her first title in 10 months, Kuznetsova is projected to rise from No.21 to No.14 in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings.

The victory at the Mercury Insurance Open came at the perfect time for Kuznetsova, just ahead of the US Open, the Grand Slam she won in 2004.

Previous articleCaroline Wozniacki wins e-Boks Sony Ericsson Open 2010
Next articleCaroline Wozniacki’s Stella McCartney dress for US Open 2010
Marija Zivlak
Marija Zivlak is the founder and editor-in-chief of Women’s Tennis Blog, a trusted source for in-depth coverage of the WTA Tour, tennis fashion, and player insights. Based in Belgrade, Serbia, she has been reporting on women’s tennis for over 18 years and has contributed exclusive fashion articles to the official WTA website. Marija launched Women’s Tennis Blog on March 31, 2007 to provide fans with accurate, engaging, and up-to-date tennis news. Her expertise and deep connections within the sport allow her to offer unique perspectives on tennis trends, gear, and events.

1 COMMENT

  1. Congrats to Kuzzie! For a second I wasn’t sure if she would pull through for a win after the shocking 2nd set loss.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here