TIANJIN, China—Maria Sharapova won her first Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title since returning from a doping ban after defeating Aryna Sabalenka to win the Tianjin Open last Sunday.
The Russian, a tournament wild card, overcame Belarusian teenager Sabalenka, 7-5, 7-6 (8), despite trailing heavily in both sets.
Sharapova last won a title at the Italian Open in May 2015.
The former top-ranked player and owner of five major titles, including the 2006 US Open, tested positive for the newly banned drug meldonium at the Australian Open in January 2016. That led to a 15-month doping ban, which expired in April.
“Such a special, special tournament, and victory for me, one that I’ll remember forever,” Sharapova said. “Sometimes you never know when it will all come together, but it happened to me this week in Tianjin.”
Sharapova displayed resilience as she came from behind in both sets to overcome her 19-year-old opponent.
Sabalenka led 4-1 in the opener and 5-1 in the second before relenting to Sharapova’s greater big-match experience. It was Sharapova’s 36th WTA singles title.
The 30-year-old Sharapova played in her first Grand Slam tournament following the ban at the US Open in August, where she reached the fourth round. Sunday’s result will lift Sharapova up to No. 57 in the world rankings.
In Linz, Austria, Barbora Strycova ended a six-year wait for her second WTA singles title last Sunday by defeating Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia, 6-4, 6-1, at the Ladies Linz.
Having won 20 doubles tournaments, the 26th-ranked Czech player improved to 2-6 in career singles finals after winning her maiden title in Quebec City in 2011.
Strycova lifted the trophy at the Austrian indoor event with former seventh-ranked player Barbara Schett looking on. Schett helped the Czech at the start of her professional career in 2003.
“I would like to thank my mentor. When I was 17, she was my mentor, and she was still playing. It’s Babsi,” the 31-year-old Strycova said after the match. “And we are still standing here all together, and it’s really something special for me.”
Strycova broke the top-seeded Rybarikova in the opening game and held on to the advantage to take the first set.
Strycova added three more breaks to take a quick 5-0 lead in the second as Rybarikova looked hampered by a right thigh injury. Strycova dropped serve for the only time in the match but broke back immediately and converted her first match point on Rybarikova’s serve to close out the victory.
The 28th-ranked Rybarikova, who lost in the semifinals at Wimbledon this year to eventual champion Garbine Muguruza, was after her fifth career title and first since 2013. She is now 1-4 against Strycova, having beaten her only when they met for the first time 10 years ago.
Image credits: AP