TOKYO — Veronika Kudermetova upset second-seeded Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-1 to claim the Toray Pan Pacific Open and a second career title.
Aryna Sabalenka outclassed Sofia Kenin 6-1 6-2 at the China Open in her first match as the women’s world number one while Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova crashed out after losing 1-6 6-4 6-1 to Anhelina Kalinina in Beijing.
The Russian’s triumph in Tokyo ends a four-match losing streak in finals since her maiden title on clay at Charlestown in 2021. It was also her second win over a top-five opponent this week, after beating second-ranked Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals.
“I´m really happy because before, it was not an easy time for me, it was really tough moments,” said Kudermetova, who will next compete at the China Open. “Now I´m really happy and I have a lot of motivation for the next weeks.”
The eighth-seeded Kudermetova had a fast start to a 3-0 lead on the back of winning ten consecutive points.
Pegula, who had dropped only nine games in three matches coming into the final, fought her way back on serve. But the American undid the rally by making back-to-back double faults to give up the first set.
“Jessica is a great player, she´s a great fighter, and I prepared myself for the fight,” the Russian said according to AP.
“When it was 5-5 in the first set, I just said to myself, `Veronika, you just need to fight, you just need to do everything that you can,´ and I did.”
The 26-year-old’s powerful ground strokes began to tell in the second set as she broke Pegula twice to race to victory in one hour and 24 minutes.
In the doubles final, Ingrid Neel and Ulrikke Eikeri beat Japanese pair Eri Hozumi and Makoto Ninomiya 3-6, 7-5, 10-5.
Elsewhere, Sabalenka, who leapfrogged Iga Swiatek into top spot after her run to last month’s US Open final, returned to action in China and did not face a breakpoint in her tournament opener which she wrapped up in 67 minutes, firing 22 winners.
The win handed Belarusian Sabalenka a measure of redemption following a stunning defeat by the 2020 Australian Open champion in the Rome second round earlier this season.
The 25-year-old top seed, who ignited her career by winning four out of her first five WTA titles in the Asian nation before the COVID crisis, next meets Katie Boulter or Magdalena Frech.
“I’m super happy with the win, I think I played really great tennis today,” Sabalenka said. “I didn’t actually expect to play that good after how many weeks I didn’t play tournaments.
“I think the way I served was the key in the match.”
But it was the end of the road for Czech world number eight Vondrousova, who fell to Rome runner-up Kalinina despite making a strong start to their first tour-level meeting.
“Today was not really a good match from my side,” Kalinina said. “I started very bad, honestly. It was too fast, 20 minutes 0-5 so I cannot say I was pleased.
“But I was just trying to get my rhythm back. It actually worked only at the end of the second set and then I was able to keep going.”
On the men’s side, world number two Carlos Alcaraz booked his place in the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-2 win over Italian Lorenzo Musetti for his 60th victory of the year.
“Today was a perfect match for me,” said Alcaraz, who is making his debut in Beijing. “You can improve and be better every day but I was proud of my tennis playing this level.
“I played high quality, great shots and a great return game. It was a great match. I enjoyed playing. I enjoy China.”
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