Maiden China: Sun Tiantian has won her first title at the Tashkent Open in Uzbekistan
Monday, 09 October, 2006 - Sun Tiantian became the fourth Chinese woman to win a Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour title as she claimed her maiden crown at the Tashkent Open in Uzbekistan on Sunday 8 October.
Sun followed Li Na, Zheng Jie and Yan Zi as WTA Tour winners by beating home favourite Iroda Tulyaganova 6-2, 6-4 in the final.
Sun managed to nullify the big serves and cracking forehands of the 24 year-old Uzbek and survived a slight hiccup in the second set to run out as comfortable victor.
The Chinese rising star, who celebrates her 25th birthday on Thursday 12 October, was taken to three sets in her first-round match, but did not drop a set after that as she eased to the final.
“It feels good,” said Sun, after progressing beyond the quarterfinals of a WTA event for the first time. “It was easier than I expected it to be, but it wasn’t as easy as it seemed. Iroda is a very good player and she was playing at home.”
Her performance will serve as a huge confidence boost ahead of the 15th Asian Games beginning in Doha on 1 December.
Tulyaganova, a former World No 16 who has been blighted by an elbow injury in the past, conceded: “She played well and served well. It is not a loss for me – it’s a win as I’ve come back from all my injuries and reached the final at the Tashkent Open.”
There was less success for India’s main tennis hope as Sania Mirza, the third seed, was beaten in the quarterfinals by Olga Poutchkova of Russia.
Meanwhile Sun, the World No 81, will look to continue her good form at the Bangkok Open this week where she is due to take on Czech Klara Zakopalova in the first
