Radwanska wins Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo

Agnieszka Radwanska kept up her immaculate winning record in finals this season by beating Vera Zvonareva to take the WTA Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament yesterday.

The 22-year-old Pole, who claimed the title at Carlsbad in her first final of the season in August, when she also beat Zvonareva, repeated her excellent performance with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over the world number four.

“I’m really happy, because I really had tough matches here, it’s very tough to play every day. I had very long matches, so I’m really happy,” said Radwanska.

“To play against those like Vera, you just have to play your 100 per cent and your best tennis.”

Radwanska shrugged off a 0-2 start, taking five games in a row as the Russian struggled to put away her first serves, hitting four double faults – one on a break point.

Radwanska missed one set point in the eighth game and two more in the ninth, but cashed in on a fourth as the Russian hit a lob long.

The Pole jumped ahead 2-0 and then 4-1 in the second set and, although she dropped her serve in the sixth, she took the following two games, the match ending with Zvonareva hitting a forehand wide.

“It was my best tournament this year. It was a big tournament with all top players and also I had very good wins here. It means a lot for me, so I want to come back here next year,” said Radwanska.

Zvonareva failed to keep back her tears when she returned to the dressing room.

“I felt like I started off really well. I was two up and had a break point (in the third game), and then something happened. I don’t know what happened exactly,” said Zvonareva, 27.

It was Radwanska’s third straight win against Zvonareva after losing their first two meetings before.

It was also her sixth career title, following similar victories at Pattaya City, Istanbul and Eastbourne in 2008 and Stockholm in 2007, as well as at Carlsbad.

The win brought Radwanska a winner’s cheque for $360,000 and she will move up to 12th in the world when the new rankings are announced tomorrow.

Thailand Open
Men’s SFs: Young bt Monfils 4-6, 7-6, 7-6; Murray bt Simon 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.