HAMBURG, Germany — Experienced Dutch player Arantxa Rus defeated German teenager Noma Noha Akugue 6-0, 7-6 (3) in the final of the Hamburg European Open for her first WTA tour title.
It was the first final for both players. The 19-year-old Noha Akugue was making her WTA tournament debut as a wild card in her hometown, while the 32-year-old Rus was the oldest first-time WTA finalist since 34-year-old Tzipora Obziler in Guangzhou, China, in 2007.
“I didn’t have too much support, but it was a very good atmosphere,” said Rus of the Netherlands, who dedicated the trophy to her father.
Rus coped better with the pressure early on as Noha Akugue’s play was marred by a slew of unforced errors. Altogether the teenager had 46 unforced errors, compared to 23 from her opponent.
The 207th-ranked Noha Akugue improved drastically in the second set and saved two match points to excite the crowd. But Rus dug in to wrap up the result in 1 hour, 45 minutes in the tiebreaker
“I hope I can come back next year and maybe win the tournament,” Noha Akugue said.
Elsewhere, Australian Alexei Popyrin has advanced to his second career final, defeating Italian Matteo Arnaldi in a 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-3 marathon to make the final of the Croatia Open in Umag.
It was an up and down match, with Popyrin twice leading by a break in the first set, only to lose after an hour and a half in a tiebreaker.
“I don’t know how I was standing after the first set, but I told myself to dig deep, and just to fight with everything I have,” said Popyrin after the match.
“It’s tough losing a first set after an hour and a half, especially in a tiebreak. Especially when I was up a break two times in that set,” Popyrin added.
“It’s not every day you get to play for a final in an ATP tournament, so there’s no point in quitting when you’re down a set, even if it’s a long set. I’m very proud of myself the way I was able to stay in that match and come out in the second set and play like it was still the first set.
“In the third set, anything can happen; it comes down to who’s physically stronger. I was physically stronger.”
Ahead of his semi-final victory, the Australian won against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi (6-4, 7-5), Austrian Sebastian Ofner, the No 3 seed (6-4, 6-1) and Croat wildcard Dino Prizmic (7-6 (2), 7-5).
Arnaldi, ranked No 76, won against Dutch qualifier Jesper De Jong (6-3, 6-2), Flavio Cobolli (6-3, 7-6 (5)) and top seed Jiri Lehecka (3-6, 6-2, 6-4) earlier in the tournament.
Meanwhile, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek was on the brink of advancing to the Warsaw Open final before her semi-final match against Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium was postponed by darkness while leading 6-1, 5-5.
Swiatek led 5-2 in the second set before Wickmayer rallied to stay alive. Swiatek served for the match at both 5-2 and 5-4 but could not advance before the postponement.
Siegemund produced a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 semi-final victory over countrywoman Tatjana Maria.
It was a busy day as Swiatek advanced with a quarter-final win 6-1, 6-4 over No. 8 seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic.
Wickmayer advanced to the semis with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Heather Watson of Great Britain. Siegemund also played her quarter-final match, winning 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3 over Lucrezia Stefanini of Italy.
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