Tennis: Zvonareva secures Baku title

BAKU: Russian top-seed Vera Zvonareva clinched the inaugural WTA Baku title, beating seventh-seed compatriot Ksenia Pervak 6-1, 6-4 in the final. Zvonareva, 26, broke her opponent’s serve twice for a commanding 4-0 first-set lead before Pervak chalked up her first game. After another break to take the opening set, Zvonareva produced three more breaks against two for Pervak in an untidy second set. “I’m happy to be the first winner of this new WTA tournament,” said Zvonareva. “I hope it was a spectacular final.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2011.