Dinara Safina proved she could keep a lid on her emotions when it mattered by beating Martina Hingis 6-3 3-6 7-5 in the final of the Australian women's hardcourt championships on the Gold Coast yesterday.
The Russian second seed secured her fifth WTA singles title with a crunching forehand winner, leaving Hingis frustrated in her build-up to the Australian Open, which begins on January 15.
Punching the air in delight, Safina ran to the stands to exchange high-fives with her coach and broke into a big smile as she read a message that had come through on her mobile.
"I'm sorry Martina, I had to take revenge for Rome," Safina said courtside, referring to her defeat by Hingis in the 2006 Rome final.
Like her big brother and former world number one Marat Safin, the 20-year-old Safina is prone to losing her way thanks to her volatile temper.
But having clawed her way to the title showdown after coming back from the brink of defeat during a three-hour marathon in the semis, Safina made sure she would not let her fragile temperament get in the way of victory.
Instead, it was Hingis who had an angry outburst. The frustrated Swiss had only herself to blame as she let Safina off the hook time and again with her inability to convert the majority of the break-point opportunities she earned.
"I'd like to congratulate Dinara, what a week (you've had)," Hingis said during the presentation ceremony. "Today she was just too good and everyone should watch her because she's gonna be maybe even better than her brother."
Jankovic lifts title
It was a case of better late than never for Jelena Jankovic after she swept all before her to win the Auckland Classic yesterday.
The top-seeded Serbian did not let her late arrival in New Zealand distract her as she edged out Russian Vera Zvonareva 7-6 5-7 6-3 in a final lasting just under three hours.
A swirling breeze contributed to the high number of unforced errors in the match, which featured 15 breaks of serve. But Jankovic doubled her title haul while Zvonareva's hopes were left blowing in the wind.