• WTA Tour

Martinez Sanchez claims first hard-court crown in Seoul

ESPN staff
September 25, 2011
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez became the first Spaniard to win a WTA hard-court title since January 2006 © PA Photos
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Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez became the first Spaniard to win a WTA hard-court title in over five years after her victory at the Seoul Open.

The sixth seed held her nerve to win two tiebreaks to beat Galina Voskoboeva 7-6(0) 7-6(2) to claim her first hard-court title - and the first for a Spanish woman since Anabel Medina Garrigues won in Canberra in January 2006.

After an exchange of breaks in the opening set, Martinez Sanchez dominated the tiebreak in ruthless fashion against the unseeded Voskoboeva, playing in her first WTA Tour final. And after saving three set points earlier in the second set, the Spaniard secured her second title of 2011, dropping just two points in the decisive tiebreak.

"I felt very calm in the tiebreaks. That was the key for me," Martinez Sanchez said. "I felt I played well the whole match. I like coming to net and I think it also makes my opponents uncomfortable, so it works well. But Galina played well - this was my toughest match of the week. I had to fight until the end.

"I can't say how happy I am to win my first hardcourt title. Rafael Nadal, Feliciano Lopez, Nicolas Almagro, Fernando Verdasco... they are the golden age of Spanish tennis right now. But the women players are also working very hard."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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