BSP-15 Keys locks up WTA Cincy title with victory over Kuznetsova

403

ZCZC

BSP-15

TENNIS-ATP-WTA-USA-WOMEN

Keys locks up WTA Cincy title with victory over Kuznetsova

CINCINNATI, Aug 18, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Madison Keys came from a break down
in both sets to defeat Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) on Sunday to win
the WTA Cincinnati crown.

The 2017 US Open finalist notched her fifth career title and second this
season after a win in Charleston in April.

She’ll return to the top 10 in the world rankings with the US Open a week
away.

Kuznetsova, a two-time Grand Slam champion working her way back up the
rankings after a series of injuries, was broken back in the 10th game of each
set by 16th-seeded Keys — who fired 13 aces on the way to victory.

“If my team had told me a week ago that I would be here, I would have
laughed in their face,” admitted Keys, who had endured two opening-match
defeats since a second-round exit at Wimbledon.

Keys belted a total of 43 winners with 33 unforced errors and broke
Kuznetsova three times.

Kuznetsova was the fourth Grand Slam winner Keys beat during the week, a
string that included Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, reigning Wimbledon champion
Simona Halep and Venus Williams.

“It was a tough draw from the very start,” Keys said. “I definitely think
I played some of my best tennis consistently this week.

I’m obviously really happy and really proud of myself,” she added, while
stressing she won’t let the performance put more pressure on her at the US
Open.

“It’s definitely more of a building block,” she said.

Despite leading both sets, Kuznetsova never had a set point in either,
Keys winning the final four games of the first set before dropping her serve
in the third game of the second.

Keys broke Kuznetsova to level at 5-all and ran out the winner in the
ensuing tiebreaker as the Russian sent a service return long on Keys’s second
match point.

“I just really focused in on obviously really important games and was able
to make her play a lot of balls,” Keys said.

“I think when I was doing a good job at moving forward and kind of trying
to neutralize some of her deep, heavy, spinny shots, I was able to get out in
front in the point and play a little bit more offense.”

Former world number two Kuznetsova, who received a wildcard into the draw,
beat top seed Ashleigh Barty, world number three Ashleigh Barty and 2017 US
Open champion Sloane Stephens on her way to the final.

“I had a lot of matches where they could have gone either way, including
this one,” said Kuznetsova, who will jump from 118th to 31st in the rankings
and said she’d had a “great week.”

“I had chances but she hit the ball well and was more aggressive. I’m
happy with how I played, I’m feeling great,” she said.

“It could give me more motivation in the future,” Kuznetsova added. “I
just want to rest and get ready for the Open.”

BSS/AFP/BZC/1940HRS