After two injury blighted seasons which basically wrecked her career, former world number 9 Andrea Petkovic finally got back in the winners circle, with a straight sets win over Jana Cepelova. It was only the German’s 3rd career title, but the biggest one so far as it was her first ever premier crown. The win sees Petkovic jump up 12 places from 40, to backside the worlds top 30.
WTA Family Circle Cup, Charleston: Day 7 Sunday, The Final
A back and ankle injury wrecked her 2012 season and a knee injury saw her out of the first half of 2013. But Andrea Petkovic is back with a vengeance and hopes that her first ever premier title will see her get back to her best of 2011.
In the final she came up against young and upcoming pretender Jana Cepelova. Cepelova had already made headlines in Charleston for knocking out defending champ Serena Williams in the 2nd rd. For the first time ever this week she reached the SF of an event, so reaching the final was an even bigger breakthrough.
Early on then it looked Cepelova would continue her dream run and take a step closer to her maiden tour title. The young Slovakian was the first one to get a set a point, when Petkovic served down 5-4.
But the plucky German stick it out and saved it to level things at 5 games all. After that it was basically game over for Cepelova, as Andrea went on almighty charge to the title.
Petko from 5-5 won an incredible 7 games in a row, to take the opener 7-5 and have a huge 5-0 lead in the 2nd. Cepelova was helpless in her efforts to stop the German, and was unable to mount what would’ve been a remarkable comeback. The young Slovak could only manage two more games in the match, before Petkovic eased to the 2nd set 6-2.
It completed an mazing week for the German, who has had her fair share of bad luck and setbacks for the past 2 years. Her 1ts ever Family Circle cup, was just her 3rd career title and first since Strasbourg in 2011. More importantly it was her maiden premier level crown and therefore her biggest ever title. She now moves backside the top 30 to No 28.
WTA Family Circle Cup, Final result:
(14) A Petkovic (GER) bt J Cepelova (SVK): 7-5, 6-2
WTA Monterrey: Day 7 Sunday, The final result
(2) A Ivanovic (SRB) bt J Jaksic (SRB): 6-2, 6-1
This was Ana’s 2nd title of the season (both international ones) after Auckland in the first week.(she beat Venus in 3 sets) It’s her 13th career WTA Tour title and sees her move up 1 place in the rankings to 12th.
All Things Tennis- from Hamza Shakeel 