Haddad Maia overcomes Riske to claim maiden WTA singles crown in Nottingham

A
back-and-forth
contest
ultimately
turned
in
the
Brazilian’s
favour
as
she
recovered
from
a
dominant
second
set
from
her
American
opponent
to
claim
the
decider
and
the
trophy.

Haddad
Maia
made
a
strong
start,
and
took
the
first
set
6-4
after
winning
90
per
cent
of
points
on
her
first
serve
(18
of
20).

Sixth
seed
Riske
came
out
fighting
in
the
second
set,
though,
breaking
in
the
second
game
before
saving
three
break
points
on
her
own
serve,
and
then
breaking
for
a
second
time,
racing
out
to
a
5-0
lead.

Riske
made
just
five
unforced
errors
in
the
second
set
to
claim
it
6-1
and
send
the
final
into
a
decider.

Seventh
seed
Haddad
Maia
was
being
made
to
work
hard
at
the
start
of
the
third
and
was
broken
again
by
Riske
in
the
third
game,
but
this
time
was
able
to
break
straight
back.

Haddad
Maia
was
angered
by
a
line
call
that
went
against
her
in
the
seventh
game,
but
she
used
it
to
find
another
level,
breaking
Riske
again
to
take
a
5-3
lead,
before
serving
out
to
seal
her
maiden
WTA
singles
title.

“It
was
just
amazing.
I
never
expected
people
here
[in
Nottingham]
cheering
for
me
so
thanks
a
lot
for
making
it
special
for
me,”
Haddad
Maia
said
in
her
on-court
interview
after
the
win.

“[Riske]
improved
her
game
so
I
tried
to
stay
concentrated…
I’m
very
happy
that
I
was
fighting
with
myself
so
I
could
get
this
trophy.

“It’s
crazy
because
I
never
thought
my
first
[singles
title]
would
be
on
grass.

“I
came
here
to
fight
and
to
win
this
title,
and
Nottingham
for
sure
will
always
be
in
my
heart.”