Just eight days after winning her first Grand Slam title, Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia claimed another singles crown.
Ranked sixth in the world, Kuznetsova extended her winning streak to 11 matches with a 6-1 6-4 triumph over Marlene Weingartner of Germany in the final of the Wismilak International tennis tournament.
The 19-year-old Kuznetsova, who also won here in 2002, jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set, thwarting several break-point opportunities for Weingartner.
"The key was to just stay in the match," Kuznetsova said. "I didn't play my best, definitely. I played well in the first set, but Marlene couldn't find anything to play against me."
In the second set, Weingartner opened up a 3-2 lead before Kuznetsova rallied to claim her second straight title and 35,000 US dollars in prize money.
"In the second set she played much better," Kuznetsova said of Weingartner, who was playing in her first Tour final. "She ran more, but I was still making her run to see if she could handle it."
On the heels of her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in New York last week, Kuznetsova claimed her third Tour title of the year and fifth overall.
After defeating compatriot Nadia Petrova for her 50th victory of the season Saturday, she moved within four of Lindsay Davenport's Tour-best 55 on Sunday.
"It was tough to go all the way through after coming from the US Open," Kuznetsova said. "I was just doing my best and didn't want to lose. I was just trying to get into form, and I beat Nadia in a very good semi-final match and I
played well today."
The hardcourt tournament was being held under tight security following last week's bombing outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.
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