Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki wins Eastbourne title in straight sets
Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki won the Eastbourne International final for the second time Saturday, beating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in straight sets for her 29th career title.
Wozniacki, who was runner-up last year, triumphed 7-5, 7-6 (5) in just under two hours, sealing the match with a backhand down the line.
Second-ranked Wozniacki was made to work by No. 45 Sabalenka and had to save two set points in the opening set.
Wozniacki also had to recover from a breakdown in both sets before securing a repeat of her 2009 success.
The Danish player struggled at the beginning, saving four break points in the first game, but Sabalenka managed to break to love at her next opportunity.
Although Wozniacki broke straight back, she immediately dropped her serve again to hand Sabalenka the initiative.
But Wozniacki saved two set points and broke again when Sabalenka was serving for the set. That changed the dynamic, and Wozniacki held serve before breaking to love and securing the set with a backhand.
There were three other breaks of serve at the start of the second set as Sabalenka took an early lead, but Wozniacki broke back again in the sixth game to level.
Sabalenka broke again to leave her serving for the set, but Wozniacki broke back to love.
The two went toe-to-toe until the tiebreaker, where Sabalenka went 5-2 up but Wozniacki reeled off five successive points to triumph.
Lukas Lacko plays Mischa Zverev in the men’s final later.
Dzumhur beats Mannarino for Antalya Open title
Damir Dzumhur won his third ATP title at the Antalya Open when he beat Adrian Mannarino of France 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 in the final Saturday.
Dzumhur won his previous two last year in Russia, becoming the first player from Bosnia and Herzegovina to win an ATP singles title.
“I didn’t expect this one, especially because it is the [grass] surface I play [only] one or two tournaments each year,” he said. “From next year, I should play much more.”
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