By Ros Satar
Elena Baltacha def Stefanie Voegele 7-6(9), 7-5
Britain’s Elena Baltacha mounted a spectacular come-back to win her first WTA Tour Event since the London 2012 Olympics.
Playing Switzerland’s Stefanie Voegele, ranked just outside the Top 50, Baltacha overcame an early break, breaking back decisively to equal the scores at 5-5 in the first set.
She had to save a break point to her determination and focus rewarded by edging ahead for the first time since the first game.
In the first set tiebreak, both players had set points come and go, and for the fourth time of asking, Baltacha took it 11-9.
The second set could not have been more of a contrast at the start, as Voegele raced ahead at the start of the second set, leading at the first change of ends, 3-0.
Baltacha got on to the board to get back one of the breaks, and had to fight off a break point to try to stay in contention in this contrasting set, before asking for the trainer, for the next change of ends, at 2-5.
The determination returned to the Brit, as she clawed back the deficit, and Voegele found herself from down for the first time in the set, having been 5-2 up and looking certain to take this into a decider.
With one match point saved, a forehand winner clinched the British wildcard’s win in her first WTA tour match since last summer.
Her focus and determination, especially in the first set, and towards the end of the second were never in doubt – a good run will give her some much-needed match sharpness.
Baltacha will face seventh seed Varvara Lepchenko in the second round.
Picture Credit: Carine06 via CC Wikimedia Commons