Zheng Jie makes WTA come back in Auckland
Updated: 2012-01-09 11:24
(Xinhua)
|
||||||||
AUCKLAND, New Zealand - China's Zheng Jie came back from behind to claim the championship at the 2012 ASB Classic women's tennis tournament in Auckland Sunday.
Playing indoors after the original scheduled match day was washed out by the rain Saturday, Italy's Flavia Pennetta yielded the game when she pulled out complaining of a back injury while trailing in the third set.
China's Zheng Jie plays a shot on her way to beating Italy's Flavia Pennetta during the singles final of the ASB Classic international tennis tournament in Auckland, Jan 8, 2012. [Photo/Agencies] |
It was the first WTA title for the unseeded Zheng since winning in Estoril and Stockholm in 2006.
Zheng went down 2-6 in the first set, but took control of the game when the fourth seed Italian started complaining of a back injury.
Pennetta's strong serves secured five consecutive points in the first set and she was soon up 3-1.
The first signs of trouble came when the Italian called a medical time out for a problem with her back while she was leading 5-2.
Despite the problem, Pennetta's play appeared to be unaffected and she held serve to claim the set.
However, the second set proved to be her breaking point and Zheng took four games in a row.
Fearing she would aggravate her injury, Pennetta called it quits early in the third set, when Zheng was leading 2-0.
Zheng secured her place in the final by defeating number 3 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, of Russia, 2-6 6-3 6-3 on Friday.
Pennetta defeated Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-1 6-2 in under an hour the same day.
- 'Taken 2' grabs movie box office crown
- Rihanna's 'Diamonds' tops UK pop chart
- Fans get look at vintage Rolling Stones
- Celebrities attend Power of Women event
- Ang Lee breaks 'every rule' to make unlikely new Life of Pi film
- Rihanna almost thrown out of nightclub
- 'Dark Knight' wins weekend box office
- 'Total Recall' stars gather in Beverly Hills
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Supplies pour into isolated villages |
All-out efforts to save lives |
American abroad |
Industry savior: Big boys' toys |
New commissioner
|
Liaoning: China's oceangoing giant |
Today's Top News
Health new priority for quake zone
Xi meets US top military officer
Japan's boats driven out of Diaoyu
China mulls online shopping legislation
Bird flu death toll rises to 22
Putin appoints new ambassador to China
Japanese ships blocked from Diaoyu Islands
Inspired by Guan, more Chinese pick up golf
US Weekly
Beyond Yao
|
Money power |