By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Saturday, June 29, 2024
Daria Kasatkina defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 6-4 in the Eastbourne final to capture her first grass-court title and seventh career championship.
Photo credit: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty for LTA
Patience is a virtue.
Daria Kasatkina was in no mood for the waiting game today.
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Kasatkina won three games in a row defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 6-4 in today’s Eastbourne final to capture her maiden grass-court championship.
A year after she lost to Madison Keys in the Eastbourne final, Kasatkina competed like a woman who wasn’t interested in a consolation prize.
Contesting her fourth final of the season—on three different surfaces—Kasatkina claimed her seventh career championship.
Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova was on hand to present Kasatkina with the majestic Eastbourne title trophy.
Spin specialist Kasatkina cracked her backhand down the line with authority and delivered a mix of unsettling spins to beat Fernandez for the third time in as many meetings.
The sixth-seeded Russian repelled five of seven break points she faces in a one hour, 50 minute win.
The 2021 US Open finalist Fernandez defeated defending champion Keys in the semifinals yesterday, but surrendered serve in the opening game today and was playing catch-up.
In a pressure-packed sixth game, Kasatkina denied a pair of break points winning the longest game of the set to hold for 4-2. Kasatkina converted her second set point to snatch a one-set lead.
For the second straight set, Kasatkina broke Fernandez in her opening serve game to go up 3-0.
The left-handed Fernandez began hitting her forehand with more depth and delivered her best tennis of the match reeling off four games in a row to go up 4-3.
On this day, Kasatkina produced shots like all the right answers on a test. Kasatkina broke back at love leveling at 4-all then fended off a break point for a 5-4 second-set lead.
When Fernandez’s final backhand sailed long, Kasatkina claimed her second straight love break to take the title. Kasatkina pumped her fist in joy winning her first title since the 2022 San Jose.
Maria Sharapova in 2004 was the last woman to win a grass-court warm-up tournament and go on to win the Wimbledon title.
Seven different women have won the last seven Wimbledon titles.
The 14th-ranked Kasatkina opens Wimbledon against Shuai Zhang and resides in the same quarter of the draw as reigning two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and Roland Garros semifinalist Mirra Andreeva.