(August 5, 2018) Back on the WTA tour since March after being sidelined by wrist surgery, Svetlana Kuznetsova is on the road back. The two-time major champion saved four championships points in the second set to defeat seventh seeded Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 on Sunday at the Citi Open tournament in Washington, D.C.
Kuzenetsova, currently ranked at No. 128, this is her second time taking home the trophy from Washington, D.C., she first won it in 2014. It’s her first WTA title in almost two years and her 18th career WTA crown.
.@CitiOpen champion @SvetlanaK27 gives her thanks to the crowd and tournament after capturing her first title of 2018! pic.twitter.com/GYOb51vX4G
— WTA (@WTA) August 5, 2018
At No. 128 in the world, the 2004 US Open and 2009 French Open winner is the lowest-ranked player to win a WTA hard-court tour event.
An emotional @DonnaVekic thanks the @CitiOpen crowd following an excellent final! pic.twitter.com/M33T1GCUGg
— WTA (@WTA) August 5, 2018
Earlier in the day, in the men’s tournament, Alexander Zverev repeated his title run from last year when he defeated Australian teenager Alex de Minaur 6-2, 6-4.
“It’s quite funny, because this final could be the final of the next 15 years, so I hope you guys all enjoyed it,” the top seed Zverev said during the trophy presentation.
For the 21-year-old German, this is his 9th career title.
