To Beat Daria Kasatkina
In the Korea Open final on Sunday, Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil defeated Daria Kasatkina, the top seed from Russia, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, to win the fourth championship in her career.
The third seed Haddad Maia dropped the first set in just 26 minutes, but she turned the tide in the second and bravely finished the match in Seoul. The 17-year-old’s first championship since June 2022 was achieved.
Haddad Maia remarked, “I know that tennis changes everything very fast.” “By the conclusion of the second set, I was playing better, and that’s when my tennis came out.
I believe I deserved this victory because I completed how I had intended to.” The 13-ranked Kasatkina has already dropped four of.
Both players played two matches on Saturday after heavy rain wiped out the previous day’s play; neither had dropped a set en route to the Seoul final.
After Emma Raducanu’s opponent withdrew due to injury after the opening set, Kasatkina advanced to the quarterfinals.
In taking the opening set, Kasatkina broke Haddad Maia twice.
In the opening game of the second set, she broke her opponent once more and held serve, preventing Haddad Maia from posing a threat for the first time during the match.
Midway through the second set, Haddad Maia, 28, broke back and gained the lead for the first time, which changed the tide of play.
The Brazilian and the umpire disagreed over a call, but she maintained her composure to win the second set.
“I was just trying to play every point,” she stated.In the third, Haddad Maia broke through and maintained her lead while Kasatkina started to falter.
Once more, Haddad Maia broke and ended the match after Kasatkina hit a long return.
Haddad Maia declared, “I feel stronger and more competitive right now.”
“I’m feeling good and am excited for the upcoming week. I think I’m working hard and doing a great job.
“Let’s see what the end of the season brings to me,” she said.
For the first time, the Korea Open was being held as a WTA 500 competition.daria
