NUSA DUA, Indonesia – Ana Ivanovic successfully defended her WTA Tournament of Champions title with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Anabel Medina-Garigues on Sunday.
The Serb gained momentum against her Spanish opponent early and was untroubled in winning her first final since the same event last year.
"I feel great. Very unexpected, actually," said Ivanovic. "I think I played an impeccable match today. Really I didn't do much wrong."
Medina-Garigues praised her opponent's poise in the final.
"In the middle of the second set I started thinking a little because I saw her, she didn't feel, I didn't feel that she felt the pressure, and she was playing very good, solid, no mistakes, hitting very hard the ball, serving good, so I think she was the player who had to win the match," Medina-Garigues said.
Ivanovic celebrated her 24th birthday with the $210,000 prize and is now setting her sights on a better start to next season.
"I think next year is going to be big, and I really want to sort of play tournaments that I'm ready for and really go and take my chances because you know I think especially the first half of the year I have nothing to defend and I can take my opportunities and hopefully keep the level and break the top 10," said Ivanovic. "That would be the first step, first goal, and then take it from there."
Nadia Petrova of Russia took third place by defeating Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, 6-2, 5-7, 6-0. Hantuchova filled in for Sabine Lisicki, who had to pull out with a back injury.
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