CINCINNATI, OH, USA - Her momentum started building in Montréal last week, and in Cincinnati this week she hit full stride. On Sunday Li Na won her first WTA title since her famous French Open triumph 14 months ago, and it was at a very big one too - the Premier-level Western & Southern Open in Cincy.

The No.9-seeded Li had some struggles during the week, going to three sets with Sorana Cirstea in her opening match and with Venus Williams in the semifinals, but she was on fire at times too, routing Johanna Larsson and the tournament's top seed, Agnieszka Radwanska, in her other matches.

The final against Angelique Kerber was a combination of the two Lis, as she went wild in falling behind 61 31; but she caught fire with her back against the wall, winning nine games in a row to take the second set and go up 4-0 in the third, running away with it against the No.6-seeded German, 16 63 61.

"I felt like she was playing unbelievable in the first set. I was trying to play flat and fast, but she had no mistakes and every ball came back to my side," Li said. "I tried to change something at the beginning of the second set but it didn't work, but I just kept trying and finally it worked. I'm very happy to win this title and now I'll take two days off - I've played a lot of tennis these two weeks."

Li cited a few different things as her inspiration to win the final: "Last night I was thinking about how I was in three finals this year but never won a title. So I was really hungry for the title today. Also, I was having lunch today and saw Roger after he won, having his photo taken - I really wanted to do the same."

Kerber, who had an exceptional week - most impressively taking out Serena Williams in the quarterfinals, snapping the American's 19-match winning streak - had some strong numbers early on in the final, but Li's aggressive game was just too damaging for her, as Li had three times the winners (33 to 11).

【新聞快訊】

北京時間8月20日消息,總獎金額為2,168,400美元的WTA超5系列賽辛辛那提西南財團(tuán)公開賽結(jié)束冠軍爭奪,金花一姐李娜(微博)在一度1-6/1-3落后的逆境下開始爆發(fā),在打出一波連下9局的高潮后,以總比分1-6/6-3/6-1逆轉(zhuǎn)底線防守有如鐵桶陣的德國新晉一姐科貝爾,打破個人自去年法網(wǎng)奪冠后長達(dá)14個月的冠軍荒,也實現(xiàn)了生涯首度在超五系列賽(級別僅次于大滿貫和四大皇冠賽)上折桂的突破。

科貝爾在比賽首局就以Love Game保發(fā),展現(xiàn)出極佳的狀態(tài)。反觀李娜則明顯慢熱,連續(xù)兩次擊球出界后無奈讓出發(fā)球局。延續(xù)著此前出色的發(fā)球狀態(tài),德國一姐如愿取得3-0的領(lǐng)先。第六局中科貝爾在一次高壓扣殺后再次逼出兩個破發(fā)點,李娜依靠制勝分化解一次危機(jī)后,又因一次正手失誤交出發(fā)球局。在發(fā)球勝賽局利用發(fā)球挽救了三個破發(fā)點后,科貝爾最終依靠一記反手制勝分拿下盤點,將首盤的比分鎖定在6-1。

次盤開局送出兩記雙誤的李娜又早早交出了發(fā)球局,科貝爾在加強(qiáng)發(fā)球質(zhì)量后就確立了3-1的領(lǐng)先。然而李娜也沒有泄氣,守住第五局后,她憑借漂亮的反手制勝球?qū)崿F(xiàn)了回破。頂住科貝爾的反撲后,李娜以4-3首次實現(xiàn)比分的反超。兩人在第八局展開漫長的拉鋸戰(zhàn),李娜在經(jīng)歷了九次平分和浪費了七個破發(fā)點后,最終依靠接發(fā)球壓迫完成致命一擊。強(qiáng)勢的守住發(fā)球勝盤局后,李娜就以6-3艱難的扳回一盤。

趁勝追擊的李娜在決勝盤開局就依靠連續(xù)的制勝分率先取得破發(fā),在發(fā)球局送出Love Game后,中國金花確立2-0的領(lǐng)先?;鹆θ_的李娜隨后再次連下四分破掉科貝爾的發(fā)球局,比分優(yōu)勢確立為4-0??曝悹栐诖虺鲆淮伟l(fā)球上網(wǎng)戰(zhàn)術(shù)后成功保發(fā),止住了連丟九局的頹勢。而李娜則在轟出一記反手制勝分后繼續(xù)以5-1領(lǐng)先。此時冠軍的歸屬已經(jīng)失去了懸念,李娜在盤末再度取得破發(fā)后,就以6-1上演大逆轉(zhuǎn),首奪超5系列賽冠軍。

(中文新聞?wù)孕吕梭w育)