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Larsson loses 1st WTA final to Chakvetadze

AFP/The Local
AFP/The Local - [email protected]
Larsson loses 1st WTA final to Chakvetadze
Sweden's Johanna Larsson and Russian winner Anna Chakvetadze

Sweden's Johanna Larsson lost in straight sets to former world number six Anna Chakvetadze at the Slovenia Open tennis final on Sunday.

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Chakvetadze, who has slumped to 103 in the world, took just one hour to clinch her first WTA title in two years with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Larsson, who was ranked 84th at the start of the tournament.

Larsson had beaten eighth-seeded compatriot Sofia Arvidsson in the first round before taking out two other Russians in her quarterfinal and semifinal to reach her first WTA final. This is Chakvetadze's eighth career title, but first since winning the Paris Indoor tournament in 2008. It was also her first WTA final since Paris.

Chakvetadze, talented but notoriously frail, battled through the tournament the hard way, saving two match points before beating sixth-seeded compatriot Vera Dushevina in the quarterfinals. She then lost the first seven games of her semifinal against seventh seed home hope Polona Hercog on Saturday before prevailing in three sets.

The only real drama on Sunday was the delay caused by the heavy rain which held up the start of the final for two hours. When the players did get on court, Chakvetadze swept to victory in just one hour. With the victory, Chakvetadze is expected to rise to 80 in the rankings.

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