By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, October 20, 2024
Daria Kasatkina defeated 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 in the Ningbo Open final to capture her second title of the season.
Photo credit: VCG/Getty
Impeccable timing confounding spin are Daria Kasatkina strengths.
Tenacity and toughness helped carry Kasatkina to her eighth career title in Ningbo.
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In a roller coaster of a final, Kasatkina outlasted 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 to capture her second title of the season.
The one hour, 54 minute triumph capped a comeback week for Kasatkina.
A calm Kasatkina Kasatkina fended off Katerina Siniakova 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 in her opener then saved a couple of match points in the tiebreaker edging Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(6) in a frenetic quarterfinal.
Those experiences empowered Kasatkina, who rallied from a 0-3, 15-30 deficit today winning six of the last seven games in an inspired run to take the title.
"It's been a very, very tough week, honestly," Kasatkina said after winning her eighth title in her 19th Tour-level final.
"All the matches were super tough. In the quarterfinal I came back from two match points down, and today from 3-0, almost 4-0 in the third set. "So this trophy means a lot because I worked on many challenges during this week, and I'm really proud of myself."
In her second career final, Andreeva settled the nerves after a horrific start and showed the skills that made her a Roland Garros semifinalist.
Andreeva was doing damage hammering her backhand crosscourt then stepping in and cracking that shot down the line.
Urged on by coach and former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, Andreeva was two points from a 4-0 lead in the decider.
A frustrated Kasatkina smacked herself in the face at one point trying to fire up and she did just that. Kasatkina attacked the Andreeva second serve, converting seven of eight break points in a committed comeback.
Kasatkina claimed two titles this year on two different surfaces following her run to the Eastbourne title on grass last June.