Ai Sugiyama defeats Nadia Petrova in Linz final

By Etienne Stekelenburg
October 26 2003

Japanese Ai Sugiyama defeats Russian Nadia Petrova at Generali Ladies Linz final. Sugiyama taking her fifth title in two set 7-5 6-4.

No. 11 in the ranking Sugiyama played a solid match, the No. 13 Petrova was taking too many risks leading into many unforced errors.

The 21 year old from Russia Petrova started off very well winning the opening service game and taking Sugiyama’s for a 2-0 lead. Looking for winners Petrova took too many risks and lost her second service game to the Sugiyama.

Petrova also lost the 7th service game trailing 3-4 but she could come back and tie the games to 5-5 in the 10th service game. Sugiyama could fight off Petrova’s attack with good returns and forced the Russian into errors.

The Japanese took a 6-5 lead with a love game before she serve for the set, taking it 7-5 after Petrova had good chances to break back. She failed to take the opportunity lost the first set. Petrova saw her first serve lost and Sugiyama taking a 2-0 lead.

Both players could hold on to their serve and Sugiyama won the second set 6-4.

After their first meeting at the 2003 Australian Open won by Petrova 6-4, 6-4 the Head-to-Head is now tied in 1 all.