Svetlana Kuznetsova is perhaps one of the few players on both the ATP and WTA Tour to makes a ton of finals but only manages to go away with the runner-up trophy. Yesterday, the two-time Grand Slam champ almost saw her winner trophy slip away after choking a few match points.
The Russian was playing great after winning the first set against Agnieszka Radwanska at the Mercury Insurance Open, and then she lead 4-0 in the second set before things went away for her. Kuznetsova had three match points against the Polish in the tiebreak but lost them.
Nevertheless, she stayed mentally tough in the third set to win her first title of the year after dropping out of the top 10.
“It was like starting all over again,” Kuznetsova said. “You let her come back, you let her see you choke. You have to be doubly stronger in the third set, and I was because I believe I am strong enough.”
The Russian acknowledged her knees were shaking on match points but she held it together.
“I think I did choke for the very first time in my life,” Kuznetsova said. “I never had this choke before. I don’t know why it happened. Here I couldn’t make a ball.”