After a five-year wait, Irina-Camelia Begu is a champion again on the Hologic WTA Tour.
Begu beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-2, 6-2 at the 33rd Palermo Ladies Open on Sunday to claim her fifth career singles title. Begu’s most recent previous title came in her home country at 2017 Bucharest, nearly five years ago to the day.
World No.45 Begu came into the championship match with a .500 record in finals (4-4), but she got back into the winner’s circle with a 1-hour and 33-minute victory over 78th-ranked Bronzetti, who was contesting the first WTA singles final of her career.
Begu triumphed often in the early lengthy rallies, breaking Bronzetti three times successively to lead 5-1. Bronzetti at last held serve for 5-2, but a backhand winner down the line wrapped up a love hold to give Begu the first set.
In the second set, Begu eased to a 3-0 lead, showing no visible fatigue after her 3-hour and 12-minute semifinal win over Sara Sorribes Tormo, which ended at 1:40 a.m. Sunday morning.
Bronzetti clawed one break back to edge closer in the second set, but Begu regrouped and won the last three games of the final, closing out the match with her second ace of the day.
Begu paid tribute to her team during the presentation ceremony. „Without you guys, I wouldn’t have this trophy, so thank you again,” she said while hoisting the cup.
Begu could potentially keep her winning streak going next week at the BNP Paribas Poland Open in Warsaw, where she is the No.4 seed.
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