By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, March 6, 2016
Elina Svitolina won the final three games fighting past Genie Bouchard, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5, in a wild and crazy Kuala Lumpur final that ended after midnight local time.
Photo credit: BMW Malaysian Open
Nearly six hours after it began, a tense struggle spiking with pulsating shot making, several rain delays and a couple of emotional meltdowns took one final twist.
Shortly after midnight, Elina Svitolina finally saw the light.
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A stubborn Svitolina won the final three games capping a wild and crazy Kuala Lumpur final with a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5 victory over Genie Bouchard.
"Thank you everyone for staying this late to watch our final and thank you Genie for a great final," Svitolina, who earned a champion's check of $43,000, told the remaining survivors who stuck through it all to the end. "It was a really tough one."
It is Svitolina's fourth career title. The two hour, 53-minute test was an adventure she'll probably remember for life.
Sunlight still flooded the court when the pair began play about 6:15 local time. The rematch of the 2012 Wimbledon junior final featured plenty of plot twists and rain delays.
Both women wear Nike, but play clashing styles predicated on contrasting philosophies. Bouchard prowled the baseline, taking the ball on the rise and trying to dictate play from the first strike. The smooth-moving Svitolina countered with combinations trying to stretch Bouchard and test the Canadian's consistency.
The second-seeded Ukrainian built a 3-2 lead in the tie breaker before the showers came again forcing another break. When play resumed, Bouchard ripped four winners to take the tie breaker and a one-set lead.
Credit Svitolina's coach, Iain Hughes, with an assist for calming her emotions after losing her first-set lead. Svitolina broke serve three times to take the second set and force the decider.
Another sustained shower force another delay. Svitolina held a 3-2 third-set lead when play resumed a little more than five hours after the final began.
A recharged Bouchard stepped into the court and hit heavy forehands breaking back to ignite a surge. Bouchard served for the title at 5-4, but completely lost the plot. She sprayed several forehands dropping serve at love.
In the ensuing game, Bouchard was in charge of the rally but played a tame smash right down the middle and paid the price when Svitolina thumped a shot at her feet. Bouchard wound up and spiked her Babolat racquet off the hard court knowing she'd blown a major opportunity.
That shot sparked Svitolina, who held then earned triple championship point.
When Bouchard sailed a final forehand, Svitolina smiled in relief. Since losing that Wimbledon junior final to the Canadian, Svitolina has won all four of their professional meetings.