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Petrova Back on Top with Stuttgart Title
Posted on October 9, 2006
STUTTGART, Germany -- Having claimed three consecutive clay court titles in the spring, Nadia Petrova was among the favorites to win Roland Garros. But a hip injury suffered during practice sent her on somewhat of a tailspin, forcing her to sit out the entire grass court season, the missed time contributing to a string of early round losses in the summer hardcourt season.
All that changed this past week in Stuttgart however, as the Russian hotshot suddenly rediscovered her range and stormed to the Tier II Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title.
She polished the title run with a 63 76(4) win over one of her nemeses, Tatiana Golovin, in a fiercely competitive championship duel. Having gone winless in her three prior encounters with the French teen, Petrova came out on fire, cruising through the first set on the strength of two breaks of serve. In the second set she regrouped well after allowing a 4-2 lead to slip, and also after falling and injuring her right ankle at 4-all in the tie-break. Both times, she came through.
"When I saw the umpire point that her shot was out, I was so relieved," said Petrova on the ultimate point of the match. "It feels great. At one stage I wasn't sure if I could finish the match, but luckily I was able to win the last three points. Tatiana played well today, but I think the fact that I've won titles before gave me a little bit of an edge perhaps, as I knew what to do in the important moments."
"I have to give her all of the credit, she was using her forehand down the line this time and making fewer mistakes," said Golovin, who was playing her third final and first at the Tier II level or above. "She started off really well and I think used a different strategy this time. I was tired from my matches earlier in the week, but overall I'm happy with my performance."
Although Petrova had the clear advantage in finals experience heading in, having won her last five in a row, Golovin's 3-0 head-to-head stranglehold had the fans talking. The Russian-born Miami resident prevailed in straight sets at Charleston in 2005, then in a pair of three-setters this year at Antwerp and the US Open. At Antwerp she saved a match point in the second set for a 36 76(7) 63 win, and at the US Open they again played a marathon, Golovin prevailing, 75 67(4) 63.
But the story was very different in Stuttgart, and having won only three matches in eight tournaments since the pre-Roland Garros hip mishap, Petrova won four consecutively this week, notching straight set wins over Top 20 players Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Daniela Hantuchova to start, then snapping Svetlana Kuznetsova's 10-match streak in the semis and turning the tables on a nasty head-to-head against Golovin.
"I think I learned a lot from my last few losses to Golovin, and took that onto the court today," Petrova stated. "This victory means so much to me. I have the feeling that everything might change for me now. After being injured I was fighting so much with myself. The goal now is to remain as focused as possible. Results don't matter; just try to give the best in every match I play.
"Mentally I feel great, and I'm really looking forward to seeing my family next week in Moscow."
Petrova becomes the second five-time Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titlist of the season, after Justine Henin-Hardenne.
There was another return to form later in the day, as top-ranked team Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur claimed the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix doubles crown with a 63 64 victory over No.2 seeds Cara Black and Rennae Stubbs.
After winning six titles in the first half of the season, including their second major at Roland Garros, Raymond and Stosur cooled off somewhat during the summer, reaching only one final in seven tournaments across the grass and hardcourt swings. But they leave Filderstadt with their seventh title of the year and renewed confidence that they can repeat as the Sony Ericsson Championships champions.
Also enjoying good runs in Stuttgart were semifinalists Kuznetsova and Patty Schnyder, as well as Daniela Hantuchova, who notched her first Top 10 win since January with a second round rout of new world No.10 Dinara Safina.
Having been held for its first 28 years in the German village of Filderstadt, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix moved to the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart this year.
-- WTA
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