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EASTBOURNE, England: Agnieszka Radwanska tuned up for
Wimbledon in dramatic style, winning a war of attrition over Nadia
Petrova 6-4, 6-7 (11/13), 6-4 on Saturday to claim the Eastbourne
Championships.
Both finalists were feeling the
pain near the end of a struggle lasting 2hr 37min, with each
requiring medical treatment in the final set—a right calf strain
and left hip worry for eighth seed Petrova and cramping for
Radwanska.
“I am exhausted after all these
matches,” confessed the delighted champion, along with Maria
Sharapova and Serena Williams a winner of three WTA titles this
season.
“Unfortunately I’m playing on
Monday [at Wimbledon], I won’t have any time to rest.”
The talented teenager, coached by
her father who was so nervous he watched much of the contest from
the players lounge, improved to a flawless 4-0 in career finals
after winning her first trophy in 2007 at Stockholm.
In 2008, she has claimed the
honors in Pattaya and Istanbul before her first grass success at
Devonshire Park.
“I really enjoyed playing this
week on center court with the rain, the sun and the wind,” joked
the champion, an impressive 36-11 this season and winner of two
matches on the same day on Thursday.
“I’m very happy that I won a
big event for the first time.”
Radwanska had a chance for a
quick win in the second set, a scenario quickly revised as Petrova
saved four match points in a tight tiebreaker, forcing a final set
from a Radwanska error.
The conclusion stayed on serve
for nine games until a fatal error from Petrova.
--afp
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