Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova squandered four match points before outlasting Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 to win the WTA San Diego Open.

“This just made me stronger. It didn’t kill me,” Kuznetsova said.

“I didn’t kill myself in the third set.”

Kuznetsova captured her 13th career title at the 700,000-dollar hardcourt event and it was the first crown for the 21st-ranked veteran since she beat Radwanska in the Beijing final last October.

The two-time Grand Slam champion botched four match points in the second set tie-breaker after squandering leads of 4-0 and 6-3, double-faulting twice on match point to open the door for 10th-ranked Radwanska to force a third set.

“I think I did choke for the very first time in my life,” Kuznetsova said.

“I never had this choke before. I don’t know why it happened. Here I couldn’t make a ball. My knees were shaking.”

It was the first final for both players since 10 months ago in China.

Kuznetsova, who won three titles in 2009, jumped back into the WTA’s top 20 with the title after reaching only one prior quarter-final this year. She had not tumbled outside the top 20 since February of 2004.

Radwanska advanced to ninth but that was little consolation.

“It’s always disappointing when it’s a long, very tough match,” Radwanska said.

“I think it’s much easier to lose 6-1, 6-1 and have no chance. But if it’s a match like this, it hurts.”