that’s a wrap! – week of January 28th

04Feb13

Open GDF Suez

Women’s Singles – Mona Barthel d. (1) Sara Errani 75 76(4)

Mona Barthel, who was runner-up to Elena Vesnina in Hobart prior to the Australian Open, took home her second career title and first at the Premier level in Paris. A solid week for the German #3 saw her post wins over Roberta Vinci, Marion Bartoli and breakout teen star Kristina Mladenovic.

“When I came here I wasn’t expecting to win the title at all,” Barthel said. “I was just taking it round by round, hoping to win the first round, then hoping to win the second round, and so on. When I got to the final I knew it would be tough, because Sara had such an amazing year last year and is playing so well – she just doesn’t give anything away.”

Barthel was in a commanding position for the entire match, but Errani refused to give in easily. Barthel led *53 in the first set before Errani drew level, but the German won the next two games to take the opener. In the second set, Barthel led 52* and had a match point, before Errani ran off three straight games to level the second set at 55*. A forehand winner sealed the title for Barthel, and her aggression was the story of the whole match; Barthel hit 53 winners to 50 errors, while Errani totaled 16 winners to 18 unforced.

Errani did take home some champion’s hardware from Paris, as she and Vinci defeated second seeds Liezel Huber and Andrea Hlavackova in the double final, 61 61.

PTT Pattaya Open

Women’s Singles – Maria Kirilenko d. Sabine Lisicki 57 61 76(1)

Having finished runner-up to Daniela Hantuchova in a see-saw final in Pattaya a year ago, it was Maria Kirilenko’s turn to triumph in a wacky final in Thailand; the Russian took home her sixth career singles title and her first since winning three in 2008.

“I feel great – to win a title is always special, but it’s even more pleasure when you win such a tough one,” Kirilenko said. “It was tough. Sabine played very well. I’m very happy to win this title.”

Lisicki, who was playing her first WTA final since 2011, was in the driver’s seat early as she built a 75 10 lead, with three points for 20, but Kirilenko would win 11 of the next 13 games to win the second set and take a *52, 40-15 lead in the third. It was Lisicki’s turn to go on a run, as she would win four straight and serve for the match at *65, but Kirilenko broke at love and dominated the tiebreak for the win.

Kimiko Date-Krumm and Casey Dellacqua took home the doubles title, defeating Akgul Amanmuradova and Alexandra Panova, 63 62. Dellacqua’s first WTA doubles title comes on the heels of a runner-up finish with Ashleigh Barty at the Australian Open to Errani and Vinci.

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