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Jabeur demolishes surprise-package Shnaider to win fifth WTA title

American Jessica Pegula beats Maria Sakkari of Greece to reach Pan Pacific Open final in Japan

Published: Sat 30 Sep 2023, 7:43 PM

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  • AFP

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Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in action at the WTA Ningbo Open tennis tournament in China. - AFP

Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in action at the WTA Ningbo Open tennis tournament in China. - AFP

Ons Jabeur won the fifth WTA title of her career with an emphatic victory over surprise-package Diana Shnaider in the final of the Ningbo Open in China on Saturday.

The seventh-ranked Tunisian demolished the unseeded Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 for her first hardcourt title.


Top seed Jabeur took a last-minute wildcard into the tournament and it took her all the way to the final.

The Moscow-born 19-year-old Shnaider, who is 85th in the world, had enjoyed a dream run to her first WTA final.

She defeated two-times Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitova on the way to the championship match.

But she wilted in the face of Jabeur's superior power and precision, and her title dream was snuffed out in just 78 minutes.

"These are little steps to winning a Grand Slam final," said Jabeur, who has yet to win a major.

She has been beaten in three Grand Slam finals in the past 15 months - twice at Wimbledon and once at the US Open.

"Playing a final here is more relaxed than playing a Grand Slam final, but I think it will help me gain confidence more, and to help me manage the pressure and stress," she added.

Jessica Pegula of the US hits a return volley against Maria Sakkari of Greece during their women's singles semifinals the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Toky. - AFP

Jessica Pegula of the US hits a return volley against Maria Sakkari of Greece during their women's singles semifinals the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Toky. - AFP

At the Pan Pacific Open in Japan, American Jessica Pegula reached the final by beating Maria Sakkari, of Greece, 6-2 6-3.

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"The faster courts here probably help me a little more than the slower surfaces I've played her in the past," said Pegula. "I tried to take advantage of that."

She will face Veronika Kudermetova, who got past Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 after three hours and 25 minutes in Tokyo.



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