Knapp wins Tashkent Open for first career title

Published February 05, 2015

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (SportsNetwork.com) - Karin Knapp of Italy claimed her first career WTA Tour title Saturday with a straight-set victory over Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia in the Tashkent Open final.

The third-seeded Knapp earned a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) triumph and denied Jovanovski a second straight Tashkent crown.

Knapp was playing in just her second career final and first since a loss to Justine Henin in the Antwerp title match back in 2008. The 27-year-old veteran has battled numerous injuries since and had been past the second round in only one of her previous 20 events this year.

"I can't say how happy I am right now," said Knapp, who didn't lose a set all week. "I've had five surgeries, so many months of layoffs in the last six years, in and out of tennis the last two years due to bad knee problems -- but I knew it was possible for me to win a WTA event one day, and I'm so happy I could do it here."

The top-seeded Jovanovski was trying for her fourth career WTA title and fell to 3-2 all-time in finals, including 0-2 this year. She also lost to Elina Svitolina at the Baku Cup in July.

Knapp had lost the only previous meeting with Jovanovski, a 6-1, 6-1 thumping in the first round of the Madrid Open back in May. She picked up a first prize of $43,000 for Saturday's victory.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/knapp-wins-tashkent-open-for-first-career-title