Elena Bovina, the 19-year-old Russian who has won hearts
and minds during her week in Warsaw, raised the J&S Cup in triumph at the WTA
Tournament.
Few expected such a decisive 6-3 6-1 win over Slovakian Henrieta Nagyova who
had stormed through to the final in both singles and doubles.
Bovina was ranked 94, playing in only her second tournament final.
Nagyova was ranked 41 with eight tournament wins to her credit including two in
Warsaw (1996 and 2000) and two this year (Palermo and Kuala Lumpur).
Bovina opened the match with a ferocious forehand down the line and continued
to play exemplary attacking tennis never giving Nagyova a chance to get into
the match.
It was an extraordinary example of how to sweep your opponent off the court,
even one older, more experienced, and supposedly better.
Bovina used her 6ft 2in frame to great affect, seeming to cover every inch of
the court until Nagyova was forced to concede.
Bovina won £17,500 and the 95 points gained should move her ranking up
about 20 places.
"I just felt I was in control from the beginning," she said after the match.
"It was one of my best matches this week. I tried to stay aggressive and move
her as much as I could. I didn't have any trouble today until 5-0 up in the
second set when I suddenly thought about winning my first tournament.
"That made me nervous and the next game slipped away. I told myself to relax and
play - what happens, happens.
"That was probably 80-85% of my capability - as much as I needed to win today.
Tonight it'll be pizza - if my coach agrees."
Bovina now returns to Moscow for rest and a celebration, then on to Strasbourg
on May 20 in preparation for the French Open.
"It's great for my confidence at the French Open to win here. I've loved this
week. Coming from the airport in the taxi my coach said he had a good feeling
about this place and he was right."
"I don't know why I lost today," Nagyova admitted.
"I fought to the last ball but my opponent was just better. I've been playing
singles and doubles matches all week, maybe it was a bit too much but I didn't
have the heart to withdraw from the doubles and disappoint my partner.
"The gusting wind caused me problems but I can't really blame that. It just
wasn't my day."
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