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Radwanska battles to Eastbourne title


Agnieszka Radwanska won a battle of attrition in the final of the Eastbourne Championhips, beating Nadia Petrova 6-4 6-7(11) 6-4 to claim the title.

The Polish teenager, coached by her father who was so nervous he watched much of the contest from the players lounge, extended her flawless career finals record to four since winning her first trophy in 2007 at Stockholm and titles in Pattaya and Istanbul in 2008.

Petrova struggled to find her rhythm in the opening set, hitting four double faults and being broken three times, the third as Radwanska claimed the set on a cross-court winner.

Agnieszka Radwanska had four match points to wrap up the match in the second set tie-break, but Petrova battled back and took the match into a decider after a Radwanska error.

Both finalists were feeling the pain near the end of a struggle lasting 2hr 37min, with each requiring medical treatment in the final set – a right calf strain and left hip worry for eighth seed Petrova and cramping for Radwanska.

The third stayed on serve for nine games until a fatal error from Petrova saw Radwanska break and serve for the title.

“I really enjoyed playing this week with the rain, the sun and the wind,” joked Radwanska, who also won two matches back to back on Thursday.

“I’m very happy that I won a big event for the first time.”

Petrova, in contrast, appeared to have run out of steam in the testing conditions at Devonshire Park, “I didn’t stay as focused in the important moments,” she said.

“Agnieszka had the most difficult path to the final. She deserves the win.”

In the women’s tournament in the Netherlands Tamarine Tanasugarn stunned third seed Dinara Safina with a straight-sets victory.

The Thai player beat Safina 7-5 6-3 to win the Ordina Open in Den Bosch and secure her first grass court title.


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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.