Hungarian teenager Agens Szavay capped off a tremendous week by
defeating second seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in three sets to
lift her first China Open crown yesterday.
The eighth seed launched a scintillating comeback, fighting from
5-2 down in the second set to win nine consecutive games to take
the match 7-6 (8/6), 5-7, 6-2 in Beijing.
With the title, the teenager is set to realize her childhood
dream of a top-20 ranking.
It was the 18-year-old Szavay's second title of the season after
winning in Palermo and becoming her nation's first US Open
quarterfinalist last month.
She entered the final without dropping a set against China's
giant killer Peng Shuai, who beat Martina Hingis and Amelie
Mauresmo.
"This one is maybe the most important one for me," said
Szavay.
"I was a little bit nervous because I know she is world No 3. I
just tried to hit the ball in and I am very happy I played at my
level.
"My biggest weapon is my backhand -- I think that's the key of
my success tonight."
Coming to Beijing at the last minute after world No 1 Justine
Henin withdrew, Jankovic showed she is anything but a pushover.
The Serb has won Tier I events in Charleston and Rome this
season to rise to a career-high rank of No 3.
She outplayed Lindsay Davenport in the semifinals on Saturday to
end one the year's most compelling comeback stories.
"She is amazing," Jankovic said of the Hungarian.
"I had some chances that I didn't convert, that's a pretty
disappointing thing."
A semifinalist here in Beijing last year, 22-year-old Jankovic
took control at the start of the match and, after exchanging early
breaks, saved two set points to narrowly win the first set with an
8-6 tiebreak.
The Hungarian then seemed to lose patience, smashed the racket
and gave Jankovic an easy 5-2 lead by committing a string of
unforced errors.
But with everybody ready to celebrate the Serb's fifth crown of
the season, Szavay suddenly opened her account, rallying to level
at 1-1 before breaking five successive serves.
Jankovic battled hard to win her own serve and broke to make it
5-2 in the deciding set. But it proved to be a fleeting respite
from Szavay's assault as the Hungarian won the next game to win the
match in two hours and 56 minutes.
Telling statistics show that Szavay fired 43 winners to
Jankovic's 15.
"I cannot say I played very bad because I saw she was a
different player at the end of the second set," Jankovic said.
"I fought to stay but she just didn't make any mistakes in the
last set."
Jankovic, who has played 16 tournaments this year, said she
would cut the number of matches in a bid to focus on bigger events
next season.
"I think I would cut half of the matches next year," she
said.
"I am sure I played too many tournaments, so I am very very
tired now.
"I had too many bad play in so many events and my body was put
to the limit.
"I cannot wait the end of the season and I just want to have a
very good rest and win more matches at major tournaments next
year."
Earlier yesterday, Chuang Chia-jung, who teamed up with Hsien
Su-wei, beat Han Xinyun and XU Yifan 7-6(7/2), 6-3 to win the
doubles trophy.
(China Daily September 24, 2007)
