Zhu Lin of China won her maiden career title after beating Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Thailand Open on Sunday.
In a match lasting one hour and 45 minutes, both players exchanged nail-biting baseline rallies before Zhu finally found a way past her determined opponent in Hua Hin.
The 29-year-old Chinese player managed a break to go up 5-3 in the first set. Although she was broken to love in the following game, Zhu returned the favour, also to love, to take the opening set in 46 minutes.
The second saw players trade breaks with Zhu eventually securing her first match point at 5-3. She sprayed a shot wide to miss the chance but capitalized on her third in the 10th game with a backhand winner.
“I’m so happy to finally win my first tour title. All the hard work finally paid off,” said the No. 54-ranked Zhu, who will crack the top 50 when the new WTA rankings are updated on Monday.
Zhu has started the season strongly, reaching the quarterfinals in Auckland and the last 16 at the Australian Open.
Inside top 100
The victory also allowed Zhu to avenge her loss to the Ukrainian at the WTA Dubai Championships back in 2019.
Despite the loss, the No. 136-ranked Tsurenko, 33, will return to the top 100.
Tsurenko reached her first final in four years after the top-seeded Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., retired with a shoulder injury during their semifinal match on Saturday.
WATCH | Injured Andreescu leaves Thailand Open in semifinal:
An upper-body injury to Mississauga, Ont. native Bianca Andreescu forced her to bow out of the 2nd set of her Thailand Open semifinals match against Lesia Tsurenko.
Tsurenko, who was in search of her fifth WTA title, was leading the 2019 U.S. Open champion 7-5, 4-0 when the Canadian stopped playing. Andreescu entered the match having not lost a set this week.
Andreescu advanced to the semifinal with a 6-0, 7-6 (3) win over Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine on Friday.
Andreescu was looking for her first tournament win since the 2019 U.S. Open, as well as high-level events in Toronto and Indian Wells, Calif.
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