Top-seeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia defeated unseeded Australian Samantha Stosur 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, to win the WTA Korea Open here on Sunday. It was the Russian's third win on the WTA circuit in 2008. She lost to Venus Williams at last year's Korea Open final.
Serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set, Kirilenko won the decisive game without conceding a point, as Stosur's backhand return missed the mark on the last play. After the two players traded the first two sets, Kirilenko raced to a 4-0 lead in third, breaking Stosur twice with an array of winning shots. But Stosur proceeded to take the next three games and then overcame a 15-30 deficit to make it 5-4. But Stosur was no match in the final game and her shots fell flat in long rallies. Stosur powered her way to an easy 6-2 first set win, recording four aces and breaking Kirilenko twice.
After Kirilenko won the first game, Stosur took the next five in surprisingly easy fashion. Stosur's fastest serve clocked at 197 kph (122.4 mph) in the opening set and she had eight aces for the match to Kirilenko's one. But Kirilenko bounced back in the next set and broke Stosur twice to win 6-1, overcoming the Australian's power with guile.
The Russian appeared to put the match out of reach in the third set, before allowing Stosur to creep to within one game. But once Kirilenko started returning Stosur's fast serves, the Russian dominated in extended rallies. Stosur, who beat Kirilenko twice in three previous meetings, was playing in her fourth career WTA final but is still seeking her first victory.
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