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By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, February 25, 2017

A streaking Elina Svitolina sealed a career breakthrough with a stylish slash.

Dashing near the doubles alley, Svitolina bended a running backhand winner down the line completing a 6-4, 6-2 sweep of Caroline Wozniacki to capture the biggest title of her career at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Watch: 5 Great Teenage Moments in Women's Tennis

It was a milestone moment for the 22-year-old Ukrainian.

Svitolina stretched her career-best winning streak to 12 matches, collected her first Premier Level title and will crack the WTA Top 10 for the first time when the new rankings are released on Monday.

“I’m really happy I could win in two sets,” Svitolina told Annabel Croft afterward. “It was tough today…

"I dreamed for all my life to be in the Top 10. I’m very happy.”




It is the sixth career title for Svitolina, who won her second straight championship following her triumph over Peng Shuai in the Taipei City final earlier this month.

Fast feet and timely forehand strikes propelled Svitolina to her second win in as many meetings with Wozniacki. It was her second straight win over a former world No. 1 player. Svitolina stopped second-ranked Angelique Kerber in yesterday's semifinals.

Contesting her second straight final, Wozniacki's energy level dropped as she lost the final four games of the match. Still, the 2011 champion is projected to rise to No. 14 in the new rankings and with only 145 ranking points to defend until the US Open, Wozniacki's return to the Top 10 should be a matter of time.




Working over the Wozniacki forehand, Svitolina earned the first break point in the fifth game. Svitolina slid a backhand pass down the line that rattled Wozniacki’s racquet breaking for 3-2.




Whipping her backhand crosscourt, Svitolina streamed through a love hold consolidating for 4-2.

Both women move well and are proficient on the counter strike.

Throughout the first set, Svitolina’s skill spreading the court and her prowess generating more juice off the forehand gave her the edge.

A physical 21-shot rally ended with Svitolina scalding a forehand winner down the line. She followed with the first ace of the evening extending to 5-3.

Ripping a return right at Wozniacki’s feet, Svitolina earned double set point. Wozniacki denied both, including a bold second serve ace down the middle on the second. The skirmish escalated into an eight-minute hold as Wozniacki withstood the stress for 4-5.

Repetition of rallies helped Wozniacki find her groove. Bolting a backhand down the line, she gained triple break point on a Svitolina double fault.

A stubborn Svitolina staved off all three then caught a break when Wozniacki bungled a smash into net for a third set point. Wozniacki saved it but ballooned a loopy forehand wide.

On her fourth set point, Svitolina finally sealed the 54-minute first set with a biting serve.

Staring down a break point for the third consecutive service game, a tight Wozniacki slapped her third double fault gifting the break to start the second set. Shaking it off, Wozniacki broke back at love.




Stretching the former No. 1 to her backhand corner, Svitolina caught Wozniacki leaning the wrong way rifling a forehand winner for break point. Pushed to counter off the back foot, Wozniacki sprayed a forehand as Svitolina scored her third break for 3-2 after 75 minutes.

Crunching a confident forehand crosscourt, Svitolina consolidated with a clenched fist.

Typically such a tough fighter, Wozniacki’s waning intensity and receding court positioning cost her another break. When she slapped a shot into net on the third break point, Svitolina broke again for 5-2.




On her second championship point, Svitolina slashed a running backhand winner down the line sealing her second straight title in 88 minutes.


 

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