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WARSAW, May 7: Justine Henin became the first player to win three titles this season when she eased to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over unseeded Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko in the weather-delayed final of the Warsaw Cup on Monday.
The Belgian's victory in the match postponed because of persistent rain on Sunday gave Henin her 32nd career title, and followed back-to-back victories in Dubai and Doha this season.
The top seed also reached the final of her last tournament in Miami, before falling to Serena Williams.
Bondarenko, whose ranking is expected to improve from 40 to 29, was competing in her third career final with her only title coming in Luxembourg last year.
The world No 1 needed just 61 minutes to secure victory over her less experienced opponent and always looked in control after breaking in the opening game.
Although the 22-year-old Bondarenko rallied well, she had nothing in her game to cause Henin any great concern. The Belgian gave up only three points in the last three games of the opening set and broke her opponent twice more.
Henin began the second set by winning the first two games to love, before a loss of form helped Bondarenko fight back to 2-2 and a 40-0 lead on the Belgian's serve.
However, Henin fought off the break points and regained the advantage when she broke to love with a forehand volley to move into a 5-3 lead, before serving out for the match.
DJOKOVIC, ARN WIN
LISBON: Serbian teenager Novak Djokovic beat France's Richard Gasquet 7-6, 0-6, 6-1 in the youngest ever Estoril Open final on Sunday.
Third-seeded Djokovic saved three set points to take the first set in a tie-breaker. The 19-year-old world No 5 lost the second set without winning a single game but swept to victory in the final set.
“I hope to be back next year,” said Djokovic after receiving a cheque for 74,300 euros and a trophy from the hands of Portugal's former soccer great Eusebio.
“He is a great player and he deserved to win,” said the 20-year-old Gasquet, who lost to Djokovic in their only previous meeting in Madrid last October.
In the women's final, Germany's Greta Arn defended two match points to become only the second qualifier to win the women's title. Arn defeat Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 2-6, 6-1, 7-6
KOHLSCHREIBER TRIUMPHS
MUNICH: Local favourite Philipp Kohlschreiber landed his first ATP title by upsetting Russia third seed Mikhail Youzhny 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Munich Open final on Sunday.
The unseeded Kohlschreiber, playing in his first final, looked in danger of being blown away by the more powerful Youzhny in the first set on the Munich clay but he hit back to take the second in 40 minutes and force a decider.
The 23-year-old German, who lives a few minutes down the road from Munich in Oberhaching, saved a break point in his first service game in the third set and the escape gave him a further jolt of confidence.
He played superbly to break his opponent in game five, producing a fine, deep volley to set up two break points and taking the first when Youzhny's poor attempt at a drop shot sailed into the net.
Kohlschreiber missed three match points when serving for the title at 5-4, as Youzhny sent two brutal crosscourt drives back past him before forcing an error on the German's backhand on the third.
He was handed another chance when Youzhny slightly overhit another vicious backhand across court and this time took it as the Russian's service return drifted long.—Reuters
