Dubai: Sara Errani was undecided whether she wanted to travel to Dubai last weekend or simply take a few weeks off the Tour to recharge her batteries.
On Saturday night, the 28-year-old Italian stood in the middle of centre court with the silver dhow trophy aloft to become the first women’s champion from Italy at the Dubai Duty Free Women’s Open. This was also her first title for the 2016 season as she swept aside her Czech opponent Barbora Strycova 6-0, 6-2 in a lopsided final in a mere 64 minutes.
Coming closest to the title as a finalist in 2013 where she lost to Petra Kvitova, Errani was in no mood for a slip-up as she seemed in a hurry to make lightwork of her opponent before a weekend crowd at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.
Shaikh Hasher Al Maktoum, President, Tennis Emirates, was joined by Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice-Chairman, Dubai Duty Free, Tournament Director Salah Tahlak and Micky Lawler, President WTA, in presenting the trophies to the finalists.
Errani thus became the first Italian player to lift the trophy in this 16th edition of this competition. Monday will see the start of the first round of the main draw of the men’s tournament.
“I’m glad I decided to come to Dubai. This was such an unexpected title for me,” a beaming Errani told media after her emphatic victory.
“My focus was to have an aggressive start and then maintain the pressure throughout. I just kept telling myself that every point counted and every point mattered as she [Strycova] can be quite a lot to handle if she is given the chance,” she added.
“And at 5-1 in the second set when I started making a few unforced errors I knew that I had to keep my calm,” she smiled.
And calm she was, as Errani hardly gave the otherwise court-smart Strycova any space to make her shots or get into her rhythm with breaks in the first, third and fifth games to take the first set 6-0 in 27 minutes. In the second set, Errani — younger by one year to her opponent — broke early and held for 2-0.
And the crowd came up with perhaps the biggest applause at the end of the third game when Strycova managed to hold for the first time in the match. The next bit of resistance came at the very end with the Czech girl saving five match points before the Italian put the finishing touches on the shortest final of the women’s tournament in Dubai till date.
Strycova was apologetic for keeping the final so short. “But it has been a good week for me as now I have the confidence in me that I can win against any of these big players,” the Czech said.
RESULT
(Women’s singles final) Sara Errani bt Barbora Strycova 6-0, 6-2
