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Errani steams to victory in Dubai

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  • 2016 Champion: Sara Errani
  • Defeated Barbora Strycova 6-0 6-2

DUBAI, UAE – Sara Errani won her first WTA Premier title as she romped to a victory over Barbora Strycova in the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The 2012 French Open finalist was once a regular fixture in the Top 10, but recently has struggled to find that form, but her experience shone over the sometimes temperamental Strycova, who has been putting together some more consistent runs.

Errani shot through the first set in 29 minutes, as Strycova struggled to find the court at times, but the Czech is nothing if not capable of finding some humour to the situation, raising her arms aloft to the delight of the crowd when she finally stopped the rot of eight games on the run to finally get on the board at the start of the second set.

It was however just a brief respite as Errani continued to turn the screw, with Strycova saving four match points before Errani closed the match out in a straight sets rout for her biggest title to date and should see her jump back up the rankings.

For Errani, after hitting the Top 10 in 2012, she seemed to struggle at times with the expectation and pressure, and although she stayed in the Top 10, finish No. 7 at the end of 2013, she slipped to 15 at the end of 2014, and No. 20 at the end of last year.

Her best result this year was a run to the quarter-finals of Sydney but exited the season opener in Brisbane and the first round of the Australian Open, before losing both her singles rubbers in the first round of the Fed Cup.

As reported on WTATennis.com, she said after the match: “I have no words. I’m sorry for Barbora – she’s an amazing player, but I’m really happy to win this tournament. It’s been a tough week for me, and I’m really happy for me, my team and my family and friends.

“Of course, it’s tough [to win] those last points. I had match point at 5-1 and then I closed it on maybe the fifth match point. There were a lot of nerves.”

Errani is scheduled to play in the WTA Premier Qatar Total Open in Doha, which starts on 21 February.