Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova, ranked 102 in the world, picked up her first Hologic WTA Tour title on Sunday after defeating Laura Siegemund from Germany, 6-4 6-4, in the final at the WTA 250 Thailand Open.
I would like to dedicate this trophy to my grandpa, who is healing from cancer. I would like to give it to him. Rebecca Sramkova
The 27-year old captured her break-through title by defeating Mananchaya Sawangkaew, Magda Linette, Jana Fett, Tamara Zidansek and Siegemund, dropping just 2 sets in the process.
The Slovakian, who made it into her first WTA final last week in Monastir, where she finished runner-up to Britain’s Sonay Kartal, has now won 9 of her last 10 matches, and is the 10th first-time WTA champion this season.
“I would like to dedicate this trophy to my grandpa, who is healing from cancer,” Sramkova said on court. “I would like to give it to him.”
With the win, Sramkova will rise into the Top 70 on the PIF WTA Rankings for the first time in her career.
Entering this week, her career-best ranking came in May at No 89, and she had not been ranked higher than 111 before this year, which she hit in 2017.
In their first career meeting, Sramkova overpowered the veteran German, who is 36-years old and currently ranked 99.
In the first set, the Slovakian struck 10 winners to Siegemund’s 6, and was able to save 2 of 3 break points to maintain her early lead.
Siegemund earned a spot in her first WTA final of the year with wins over Alycia Parks, Wang Xiyu, Rebeka Masarova and Arianne Hartono.
Her 2nd-round win over Wang was the 4th-longest match of the Open Era, and she was bidding to win her 3rd WTA title, and first on a hard court.
After an exchange of breaks to level the second set at 4-4, Sramkova broke Siegemund off an errant backhand from the German, and coolly served out the title at love after an hour and 56 minutes.
Sramkova’s consistent return pressure proved the difference in the final, as she generated 9 break points and converted 4 to Siegemund’s sole break from her 3 chances.
In the doubles final, Kazakhstan’s Anna Dalinina & Irina Khromacheva from Russia, the No 1 seeds, defeated Hong KOng’s Eunice Chong & Moyuka Uchijima from Japan, 6-4 7-5, to win their second consecutive title.
Danilina & Khromecheva also took home the title last week at the Guadalajara Open.
