By Tennis Now | Saturday, June 30, 2018
Caroline Wozniacki denied two set points in the first set defusing Aryna Sabalenka, 7-5, 7-6 (5) in the Nature Valley International final.
Photo credit: @British Tennis
Determined defense and sheer denial fueled Caroline Wozniacki to her 29th career title in Eastbourne.
The top-seeded Wozniacki denied two set points in the first set defusing Aryna Sabalenka, 7-5, 7-6 (5) in the Nature Valley International final.
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Wozniacki won her first title since she subdued Simona Halep to capture her first Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open in January.
It is Wozniacki's second Eastbourne championship and first since 2009 when she she defeated Virginie Razzano, 7-6 (5), 7-5, nearly the identical score of today's final.
“It’s just amazing, it’s been a long time ago since I was here as the winner of this tournament," Wozniacki said. "So it’s great that I can still play almost 10 years later.” Wozniacki
Contesting her first Premier-level final, the 20-year-old Sabalenka showed power and aggression breaking serve to burst out to a 5-3 lead.
Sabalenka, who stunned defending champion Karolina Pliskova for her first Top 10 win, served for the set at 5-4 and held a pair of set points. Wozniacki fended off both then broke back for 5-all.
"Whether she was missing or hitting it in the court and hitting some great shots, I knew she was going to just go for it, because that was her way that she thought maybe she can win this match," Wozniacki said of Sabalenka. "And she's not going to win the match just by hitting the ball back. So I knew that she was going to try and do this the whole match through."
The second-ranked Dane reeled off the final four games to snatch an opening set that seemed in Sabalenka's grasp.
Shrugging off her near miss in the opener, Sabalenka served for the second set at 5-4, but could not close.
In the second-set tie break, Sabalenka was swinging with confidence racing out to a 5-2 lead. Two points from a final set, Wozniacki turned it on. The former No. 1 reeled off five straight points closing a spirited comeback bolting a backhand winner down the line.
"I think every time I go into a tournament I believe I can win it," Wozniacki said. "So every week I have that belief. Whether it happens or not, it just depends on how I play and how my opponents play and how everything kind of goes together. But definitely every time I go into one I believe in myself."