Eastbourne | Kasatkina finally lifts a trophy

Daria Kasatkina ended her series of defeats in the WTA finals at the Rothesay International, the WTA 500 event in Eastbourne, on Saturday. The Russian defeated Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-3 6-4 to take home the trophy.

It’s been a year, but it feels like just a few days since the last time. It was a tough battle today. It’s been a long road to the title, but I’m really proud. Daria Kasatkina

The sixth seed came into Saturday’s final with a 0-3 record in this season’s Hologic WTA Tour finals, having reached the finals in Charleston, Abu Dhabi and Adelaide, while her latest win earned her first title in two years.

“I just feel like I laid down a really heavy backpack,” Kasatkina said. “Although I understand that it is a great achievement to play the fourth final of the year, there is still a very bitter feeling if you don’t win.

“It’s been a year but it feels like just a few days since the final last time,” said the 27-year-old, who had lost to Madison Keys in last year’s Eastbourne final. “It was a tough battle today. It’s been a long road to the title, but I’m really proud.”

Kasatkina, who snapped a losing streak in five finals in which she dropped 10 consecutive sets, all at the WTA 500 level, broke the southpaw’s serve early and then survived a 20-minute marathon match on her own serve midway through the first. set before proceeding to claim the opener.

She took a 3-0 lead in the second, but Fernandez, a former US Open runner-up, played four games in a row and became a real threat.

However, Kasatkina steadied the ship and won the last three matches, winning her first title since Granby 2022.

“The second set was a rollercoaster,” Kasatkina said. “To be honest, it didn’t feel great to be 3-0 up, and then 3-4 down in five minutes, ten minutes. But I’m proud of myself for how I stayed there, how I didn’t go crazy, because it was quite easy, I was 3-4 behind, and came back with new balls against the wind.

“That could be a very difficult moment, and it was a difficult moment, but I’m really happy how I overcome this situation.”

Daria Kasatkina (R) and Leylah Fernandez received their trophies from former multiple Eastbourne champion Martina Navratilova

© Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for LTA

The world number 14 improved her record to 3-0 against Fernandez, who was playing her first final on grass.

The Canadian, ranked 30th and coming to Eastbourne on the back of a successful quarter-final run in Birmingham, defeated seventh-seeded Czech Barbora Krejcikova in the first round and ended Madison Keys’ title defence in the semi-finals.

However, she had a hard time with Kasatkina’s smart play on all courts and was only able to break through the Russian’s serve halfway through the second set. She also had trouble holding herself together throughout the set.

The number six broke Fernandez’s serve in the very first game and then saved three break points in an 11-deuce game to make it 4-2 before breaking again to seal the set.

After breaking Fernandez for a 2-0 lead in the second, Kasatkina saved four more break points to consolidate her lead to 3-0.

The Canadian proved her resilience by fighting back to take a 4-3 lead, but was unable to hold serve for the remainder of the 1 hour and 50 minute championship match.

Overjoyed, Kasatkina rushed to celebrate with her team and her friend Natalia Zabiiako, who had been cheering her on from the stands throughout the campaign.

Kasatkina converted a total of 5 out of 10 break points and won 63% of her first-serve points, compared to 51% for her Fernandez.

The victory marked Kasatkina’s seventh career WTA title, and her first on grass courts, and she now rises to No. 12 in the rankings and jumps to No. 8 in the race to the WTA Finals thanks to her title run here.

An excited Daria Kasatkina celebrates with her partner Natalia Zabiiako at Devonshire Park

© Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for LTA

During the trophy ceremony, the 27-year-old congratulated Fernandez and thanked her team and her friend.

“Of course, thanks to my team,” she said. “Guys, it was a long road to the title, but I’m really proud of (us). I’m really proud of the work we did and the result. Thank you very much for standing by me, no matter how bad it is, no matter how good it is.

“Thank you so much for being with me. Thank you to my coach, Flavio; thank you to my brother and fitness coach Alex, and thank you to my other half, Natasha. Thank you so much,” she added.

Zabiiako also shared her joy on social media. The Olympic pair skater has been Kasatkina’s biggest cheerleader since they went public with their relationship in mid-2022.

“Champ,” she wrote on Instagram.

Kasatkina now heads to Wimbledon with a 6-1 record on grass this season, and a career-high 33-17 on the soft grass, where she is seeded 14th and will face China’s Zhang Shuai in the first round on Monday; while Fernandez will play Lucia Bronzetti on Tuesday.

The Russian’s best result at the championships was a quarter-final in 2018.

Doubles champions Lyudmyla Kichenok & Jelena Ostapenko defeated top seeds Gabriela Dabrowski & Erin Routliffe in the Rothesay International doubles final on Saturday

© Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for LTA

In the women’s doubles final, an exciting battle unfolded in which Ukrainian Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia defeated Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe from New Zealand 5-7 7-6(2) (10-8) after an hour and 54 minutes to win their 4th doubles title together.

Kichenok and Ostapenko overturned a one-set deficit to force a tiebreak in the second set. They defeated their opponents twice to level the match again.

After 9 breaks in the deciding game it was Kichenok and Ostapenko who held their nerve and the Latvian served the winner at the first attempt.

A general view of the game during the final between Daria Kasatkina and Leylah Fernandez at Devonshire Park, Eastbourne

© Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for LTA