The higher seed entered the final as the underdog Sunday at the WTA claycourt stop in Berlin, but No. 2 seed
Nadia Petrova nonetheless outlasted defending French Open champion and No. 3 seed Justine Henin-Hardenne from a set down 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
"I don't know what to say," said Petrova who beat H-H for the second time in 10 meetings. "My legs were tired, my back began to hurt in the second set and I had problems serving. All I could do was fight."
It was the second Tier I title on the year for the Russian after Charleston, and the fourth overall including Doha and Amelia Island.
Petrova entered the final with a win in only one of her nine meetings with the Belgian, with Henin-Hardenne winning the last five in a row dating to 2003.
In the doubles final the No. 3-seeded team of
Jie Zheng and
Zi Yan beat No. 5 seeds
Elena Dementieva and
Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-3 for their second title of the year.
