DUBAI: Jessica Pegula put on a clinical performance as she handed Elina Svitolina her first loss in a WTA 1000 final in a dominant 6-2 6-4 victory to win the Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday.
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Pegula, who turns 32 on Tuesday, became the second-oldest woman to win the tournament after her American compatriot Venus Williams, who won it in 2014 when she was 33.
“It’s a great birthday present for me. I get to celebrate by flying back home in a few hours. Super happy to go home with the trophy. It was a great week,” Pegula said after ending a three-match losing streak in WTA 1000 finals.
World number five Pegula quickly built a 3-0 lead in the first set as she kept Ukrainian Svitolina near the baseline before getting the first break with a backhand cross-court shot and holding her own serve with a masterful backhand slice.
