Wickmayer Rolls To Second Career WTA Crown; Stosur Tops Schiavone In Japan Open

Linz, Austria (AHN) – Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium demolished unseeded Czech Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-4 Sunday at the Generali Ladies final to earn her second career WTA Tour title.

The third-seeded Belgian, who stunned top seed Flavia Pennetta en route to the final, shook off five aces unleashed by Kvitova and broke her opponent four times in nine attempts for the win.

Sunday’s final marked the third encounter for the two 19-year-old players this year. Wickmayer dominated Kvitova at both the U.S. Open and Estroril, where she won her first title.

Apart from the $37,000 top prize, the victory vaults Wickmayer into the Top 20 for the first time next week.

In Osaka, Japan, No. 3 seed Samantha Stosur of Australia snagged her first WTA singles title after outclassing Italy’s Francesca Schiavone 7-5, 6-1 Sunday at the HP Japan Women’s Open.

The victory ended a run of five final setbacks for the Stosur, 26, who is best known on the doubles circuit, having captured 22 titles.

Stosur, currently ranked No. 15 in the world, has never won a WTA event until Sunday.

After spoiling Caroline Wozniacki’s title defense Saturday, Stosur broke the fourth-seeded Italian in the second set to take a 3-1 edge en route to the victory.

The win enabled Stosur to return to her career-high ranking of No. 13, leapfrogging former No.1 players Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic.

Stosur, who improved to 4-1 lifetime against Shiavone, takes home $37,000 for the win.