(Rank/Seed)
26/- Pavlyuchenkova secured the biggest title of her career with a 36 62 63 win over (7/3) Errani, her 6th title overall. The match was full of changes in momentum and successive runs of games but fortune seems to favour the underdog here as this marks the 5th time in the last 6 where a non top 10 player has won the title, beating a favoured opponent in the final. Errani is still without a Premier title and Errani's year spookily seems to be mirroring 2013; 2r Shenzhen (Brisbane last year), QF Sydney, 1r Australian Open, F Paris Indoors...what next? QF Doha?
1st Set
Pavlyuchenkova started quicker, hitting early winners to take a 3-1 lead. However, Errani mixed up the game brilliantly with topspin and drop shots to change the momentum, winning 5 straight games to take the set. Pavlyuchenkova looked deflated and fatigued, constantly querying line calls as if the whole world was against her.
2nd Set
Errani extended her winning run to 7 games in taking a 2-0 lead, even holding a point to break again for 3-0, frustrating the Russian with her gritty defence. Pavlyuchenkova served well to avert that disaster and began to recapture her form from the first set. At one stage, Errani had remarkably hit more forehand winners than the Russian as she attacked her opponents second serve, but this aggressive approach meant that Errani made some uncharacteristic mistakes. Most importantly, Pavlyuchenkova was back in the match mentally as she won 6 straight games to even the match.
3rd Set
After Pavlyuchenkova won her 7th straight game to hold in the first game, Errani then went on another run, showing no signs of fatigue despite a strapped thigh to take a 3-1 lead as the Russian inexplicably went off the boil, again! Still, Pavlyuchenkova has managed to find a way through tough three set matches all week and once again solved the puzzle, hitting all out to win the last 5 games of the match, finishing with her 48th winner. She only hit 33 unforced errors, compared to Errani's modest 18:16 ratio.
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