RED-HOT Estonian Anett Kontaveit has continued her remarkable 2021 form to claim her fourth WTA Tour title of the season and enter the Top 10 in the world for the first time. The second seed at the 2021 Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, Kontaveit overcame home crowd favouritism to her opponent, top seed and Romanian Simona Halep. In what was anticipated to be a massive final, Kontaveit did it pretty easy in the end, winning 6-2 6-3 in 70 minutes on court.

The Estonian was far more efficient off her first serve, winning 70.6 per cent of her points off a 66.7 per cent clip, compared to Halep’s 44.1 off 57.6 per cent. Whilst broken twice from three opportunities, Kontaveit created 11 chances against the top seed, breaking five times throughout the two sets and eight opponent serving games. She also produced 21 winners to Halep’s nine during the match. The performance lead her to yet another title, having cleaned up in Cleveland, Ostarava, Moscow and now Cluj-Napoca, winning 26 of her past 28 matches, and opening up a 10-game streak which included the last two titles.

The win also secured her spot in the WTA Finals later this month, with all eight places finalised and Kontaveit snatching the eighth place off Tunisian Ons Jabeur with the title. Kontaveit moved up to eighth in the world with the title, with Halep dropping four places out to 22nd on Tour. Kontaveit apologised to Jabeur for knocking her out of the WTA Tour finals race, whilst acknowledging the impact Halep has had on her over the years.

“I’m kind of speechless, this week has been incredible for me,” Kontaveit said post-match. I’d like to congratulate Simona, you’re such a role model, I’ve looked up to you for so many years. You’ve beaten me so many times and it was an honour to share a court with you.

“So so sorry Ons that I had to do this to you. I’m really looking forward to next year, hopefully we can both make it.”

2021 TRANSYLVANIA OPEN FINAL RESULT:

[2] Anett Kontaveit (EST) defeated [1] Simona Halep (ROU) 6-2 6-3

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From one red-hot win to a drought-breaking one, Croatian Donna Vekic claimed her first WTA Tour trophy in four years with a remarkable straight sets win over rising Danish talent Clara Tauson, 7-6 6-2 in an hour and 46 minutes in the Courmayer Ladies Open final. Vekic produced 11 aces for six double faults, and won 76.1 per cent of her first serve points, compared to the Dane’s 57.5 per cent. She also broke five times to three, kicking away in the second set to claim the victory.

Vekic reached the Top 20 two years ago in November 2019, but has gradually slipped down the order to be just inside the Top 100 at 97th in the world heading into the Italian tournament. She held a 14-16 win-loss record in 2021, having bounced back from shoulder surgery in February, to finally hit her straps in the most recent 250 tournament. To do it against one of the more impressive players on Tour at the moment was particularly noticeable, having last won Nottingham in 2017.

Using her power to full effect, Vekic slammed home 39 winners to Tauson’s 23, whilst producing 13 unforced errors to her opponents’ 17, in a really well-measured display on court. The win also stopped Tauson from picking up her third career and season title, with the world number 49 boasting a massive 38-14 record coming into the tournament and the 18-year-old regarded a star of the future. Vekic has now bolted up 30 places into 67th to be the second highest Croatian again, whilst Tauson moved up three places to be 46th in the world.

2021 COURMAYER LADIES OPEN RESULT:

Donna Vekic (CRO) defeated [5] Clara Tauson (DEN) 7-6 6-2

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Picture credit: WTA Tour

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