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Tanasugarn takes down Safina for Ordina title

Sat 21st, June 2008

's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (Sports Network) - Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn beat surging Russian Dinara Safina in Saturday's final to win the Ordina Open, a final grass-court Wimbledon tuneup.

Qualifier Tanasugarn defeated third-seeded Safina 7-5, 6-3 to claim her first- ever title on grass and first finals win in five years. The 31-year-old Tanasugarn improved her dismal finals record to 2-6. Her last appearance in a final was in 2006.

Heading into the final, the stars certainly seemed lined up for Safina to win. The Russian spent less than half the time on the court than her opponent during the week and won their only previous meeting handily. But that didn't discourage Tanasugarn.

Safina snagged the first break of the match in the ninth game for a chance to serve the first set out at 5-4, and things were looking good for Safina. But the veteran broke right back and won 10 of the last 12 points of the set to take it, 7-5.

The second set remained largely on serve. Tanasugarn earned the critical break in the seventh game and after surviving a lengthy 16-point service game -- in which Safina had five points to get the set back on serve -- David finally overcame Goliath.

"Maybe it was more difficult for Dinara, as she was seeded and playing really well lately, and I was coming out of the qualies; that could have put some pressure on her today," Tanasugarn said. "After she had the chance to serve out the first set I think her level fell a bit, and once I got to the second set I felt great, and that I could really win this match."

Tanasugarn's road to the finals wasn't easy, but was arguably the best week of her career. Tanasugarn started the week by taking down last week's Birmingham champion, Kateryna Bondarenko, in the first round. She was on the brink of elimination in the second round, rallying back from 5-3 down in the third to beat American Ashley Harkleroad. Tanasugarn also went three sets with Michaella Krajicek in the quarterfinals and upset eighth-seeded Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko in the semifinals.

Tanasugarn was definitely not intimidated by Safina's No.9 ranking. After all, she had four Top 10 wins going into the final and two of those came on grass in 2001, over Nathalie Tauziat and Amelie Mauresmo. This surface also fuels the Thai veteran's best attribute - her flat, compact groundstrokes - and she has capitalized on that in the past, reaching one of her other six career finals at Birmingham in 2000 (falling to Lisa Raymond) and making the fourth round of Wimbledon an impressive six times.

Despite the loss, Safina has been having a great season. She was this month's French Open runner-up to Serbian Ana Ivanovic and has won 15 of her last 17 matches, including a title in Berlin.

"I have to forget this match because I played some pretty good matches earlier this week and today was just not my day," Safina said. "I want to give lots of credit to Tamarine, I think she played a solid match - but I want to forget this match as soon as I can. I'm leaving for London today, I'll have today and tomorrow off and then Wimbledon starts. So I will have to get ready for that."

The 22-year-old Safina is now an even 6-6 in finals. Safina lost in the finale here in 2006 to Krajicek. The Russian has yet to win a title on grass.

Safina was one of three Top 10 Russians in the field this week. She took out one of the other ones, first-seeded Elena Dementieva, herself in the semifinals; second-seeded Anna Chakvetadze, the defending champion, lost to Alona Bondarenko.

Tanasugarn is the second qualifier to win a final this year. Nuria Llagostera Vives was the first, doing so at Bogota. Tanasugarn pocketed $28,000 with the win.

Wimbledon gets underway this Monday, June 23rd. Safina will take on Yung-Jan Chan, while Tanasugarn will face Petra Cetkovska in the first round.

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