Putintseva Overwhelms Kalinina In Budapest For 2nd WTA Title

Kazakh veteran Yulia Putintseva won her second career title besting Anhelina Kalinina 6-4, 6-0 in the clay final at Budapest on Sunday.

For the 26-year-old Putintseva, it was her first WTA title since Nurnberg in May 2019 when she beat Tamara Zidansek (Zidansek just won Lausanne today).

The top-seeded Putintseva needed three sets in her previous two matches, beating Kateryna Kozlova in the quarters and then in the semifinals the surprise Hungarian wildcard Dalma Galfi who had won the Wimbledon juniors in 2015.

Kalinina got the help of a semifinal retirement from Danielle Collins to reach her first WTA final. Though she had won her last 14 matches including two French ITF events coming into the final. The 24-year-old Ukrainian had never before been to a WTA level quarterfinal.

Putintseva, who was scheduled to be the top seed at the new Polish stop in Gdynia, but has withdrawn for spot in the Tokyo Olympics on team Kazakhstan.

“I’m very confident right now, and I’m going to Tokyo with five wins behind my back,” Putintseva said. “It’s very important. I need to adapt quick for the surface because it’s going to be different, but I’m ready for anything.”

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