Seoul | Haddad Maia lands WTA 500 Korea Open title

Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia got here from a set all the way down to seize her 4th WTA profession title on the Hana Korea Open on Sunday, after beating Russia’s Daria Kasatkina in an exciting last, and gathering her first WTA 500 singles trophy of her profession.

I really feel stronger, I really feel that I am very aggressive now. I am in a superb second, prepared for the following week. I really feel that I am doing superb issues, working laborious. Let’s have a look at what the top of the season brings to me. Beatriz Haddad Maia

The final girl standing, who was seeded third, got here out on prime of a contest that lasted simply 10 minutes in need of 2 hours, 1-6 6-4 6-1.

“I do know that tennis adjustments every little thing very quick,” mentioned Haddad Maia. “I used to be competing higher on the finish of the second set, after which my tennis appeared. I completed in the best way that I wished and I feel I deserved this win.

“I need to come again once more subsequent yr,” the 28-year-old added.

First began in 2004, the Korea Open started as a WTA 125 occasion in 2021, and was upgraded to a WTA 250 competitors the next yr, earlier than turning into a WTA 500 match this yr.

Neither participant had dropped a set on their solution to the Seoul last, and each needed to play two matches on Saturday, after heavy rain worn out yesterday’s play.

Kasatkina received her quarter-final after her opponent, Britain’s Emma Raducanu, retired with a left foot damage after the primary set.

© Jung Yeon-je/AFP through Getty Pictures

In entrance of an enormous crowd of Korean followers at Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Heart in southern Seoul, Kasatkina got here out of the blocks on fireplace, successful the primary set after shedding simply 1 recreation, and taking 87.5% of factors on her first serve, which was significantly greater than Haddad Maia, who may solely seize 46.2%.

Whereas the Russian World No 13 received 5 video games in a row to clinch the primary set in simply 26 minutes, Haddad Maia struggled together with her serve, successful solely 9 of her 20 service factors.

Kasatkina broke on the primary recreation of the second to steer by a set and a break after successful 8 of the opening 9 video games of the match, however, from that second on, the momentum and the rhythm of the ultimate fully modified, because the third seed bagged 12 of the following 14 video games to create a shocking come-back victory.

Haddad Maia started to place up a greater battle, securing her first break of the match to degree at 3-3, making a annoyed Kasatkina chase her returns to the ends of the courtroom.

“I used to be simply attempting to play each level,” she mentioned. “I used to be bettering, and, I feel, that was the important thing, to be calm and simply play tennis.”

It was a shocking restoration by the US Open quarter-finalist within the second, during which Haddad Maia’s first serve supply improved considerably, to 73.9%, significantly greater than Kasatkina’s 60%.

She saved a vital break level to take a 5-4 lead, wanting more and more snug within the lengthy rallies, and breaking within the subsequent recreation to take the set with a robust forehand and degree the ultimate at a set all.

Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia (R) shakes palms with Russia’s Daria Kasatkina (L) on the finish of their last match in Seoul on Sunday

© Jung Yeon-je/AFP through Getty Pictures

Down by a set and a break, the World No 17 instantly began to play a lot better and responded with back-to-back breaks to win the following 5 video games and overturn the deficit to drive a decider.

Kasatkina managed to avoid wasting a break level within the second recreation of the third, and tied it at a recreation apiece, however a now remodeled Haddad Maia took full management of the decider, successful 17 of her 22 service factors and breaking twice in a row to safe victory.

“I really feel stronger, I really feel that I’m very aggressive now,” mentioned Haddad Maia. “I’m in a superb second, prepared for the following week. I really feel that I’m doing superb issues, working laborious.

“Let’s see what the top of the season brings to me,” she added.

For the reason that starting of Cleveland, Haddad Maia has now received 12 of her final 14 matches.

After making her first last of the season in Cleveland, she went on to make the US Open quarter-finals and now takes residence her first title since successful the 2023 WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai final autumn.

This week, the Brazilian World No 17 has confirmed unstoppable, ending with an ideal 100% factors on her first function the Russian’s supply dropped to a dismal 38.5%.

“One other robust match. Hope we have now many extra to come back,” Kasatkina instructed Haddad Maia after shedding her second match to the Brazilian, having received their first two clashes. “Dropping within the last can really feel worse than shedding within the first spherical.

“It’s robust, particularly being up within the last, however she positively raised the extent after the primary set. The match was fairly good, however then she was higher within the third set.”

The Russian stays with only one title received in 2024, and has now misplaced 4 of her 5 finals, however has 7 profession titles to her title.

The victory was a particular one for Haddad Maia because it was her first title of the season, and simply the 4th of her profession at WTA degree.

Earlier, within the doubles last, American Nicole Melichar-Martinez & Liudmila Samsonova from Russia lifted the trophy after simply beating the pair of Japan’s Miyu Kato & Zhang Shuai from China, the No 3 seeds, 6-1 6-0.

The ultimate of the Korea Open was performed in entrance of packed crowd on Sunday at Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Heart in southern Seoul

© Jung Yeon-je/AFP through Getty Pictures