PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Agnes Szavay continued to build on the longest hot streak of her Sony Ericsson WTA Tour career, winning her second straight tournament - and 10th straight match - with a finals victory against Barbora Zahlavova Strycova at the International-level ECM Prague Open by Glanzis.
Szavay, the No.7 seed, began and finished strongly against the No.8-seeded Zahlavova Strycova, rebounding after a second set slump to beat the feisty Czech in three sets, 62 16 62. It was Zahlavova Strycova's first career singles final on the Tour; it was also the pair's first career meeting.
"I was very tired, mainly in the second set but also in the third. I was also nervous," Szavay said. "But I fought with myself and broke it. It's very nice to have a second title in a row. I've been working very hard and this is the reward."
"All week I was playing very good tennis. It's a shame I don't have a trophy," Zahlavova Strycova said. "In the third set I thought Agnes would be tired and it would be simple for me, but that wasn't the case. Congratulations to her today."
Check out pics of Agnes, Barbora and more in the Prague gallery!
Szavay's longest streaks before this were two seven-match streaks in 2007, extensions of her first two career title runs in Palermo and Beijing. She now owns five titles, also taking Budapest last year and last week, and now here.
Szavay is also just the second player this year to win titles in back-to-back weeks, following Venus Williams' runs at Dubai and Acapulco in the spring.
Timea Bacsinszky and Tathiana Garbin followed Szavay's example and won for the second straight week, following their Budapest doubles title with the Prague doubles title. The Swiss-Italian pair beat Szavay and Monica Niculescu in a tight two-setter, 75 76(4). Bacsinszky won her second Tour doubles title; Garbin won her 10th. The pair has won three ITF Circuit titles together too.
