Hantuchova wins fourth career title in Thailand
Fourth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia defeated Italian tennis pro Sara Errani in a devastating match to win her fourth WTA singles title at the 2011 PTT Pattaya Open in Thailand. Hantuchova defeated her 23-year-old opponent in straight sets, winning
the match 6-0, 6-2 on Sunday. The match lasted a little over an hour and sixteen minutes.
The match was a runaway victory for Hantuchova, who shattered her opponent in straight sets to win her first WTA singles title in three years. The player, who is 27 years old, has not dropped a single set throughout the tournament.
The first set was a crushing blow for World Number 44, Sara Errani. The Italian pro had no chance to recover, as Hantuchova broke her serve thrice to take the first set with a bagel. Errani won a total of ten points during the opening set.
Errani began the second set with an early break, and for the first game it seemed as if the match might go into a tie-breaker. However, the Italian player was quickly undermined by the windy weather conditions and gave up the lead as Hantuchova levelled
the score to 1-all. She produced a total of eighteen winners during the match, breaking her Italian opponent’s serve six times. She concluded the match 6-0, 6-2 with a forehand winner.
She commented on her performance after the match, saying, “"I really focused on my play, point by point, not giving away anything. I was just trying to get the job done and I was really hungry for another title. I just showed that I really can focus and
I'm mentally and physically strong."
The PTT Pattaya Open win marks a long overdue victory for Daniela Hantuchova, who has been facing a rough drought for the past few years. The Slovakian player suffered injuries at the Brisbane International earlier this year, and was eliminated early on
at both the Sydney event and the Australian Open. This is her first title since she won the 2007 Linz tournament, and it may be indicative of a comeback for the former World Number 5.
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