Tashkent Gallery: Begu Serves Up First Title
Published September 17, 2012 12:00
The stars of the WTA weren't the only ones shining on the courts of the Tashkent Open last week.
Potential stars of the future - ATP and WTA - hit the courts during a series of children's clinics.
Of course, while some of the young ones' eyes were on their own ball, most eyes were on the final.
Irina-Camelia Begu scored her first Top 10 win at the US Open and was now in the Tashkent final too.
Across the net was the 16-year-old Donna Vekic, who made the final in her very first WTA main draw.
The two players put on a show in front of a packed crowd, both serving up some very impressive power.
After taking the first set, Irina-Camelia Begu threatened with Donna Vekic serving 4-all second set.
Irina-Camelia Begu would break one last time for a 64 54 lead, one game away from her first WTA title.
Irina-Camelia Begu served out a 64 64 victory. The Romanian held nine of 10 service games in the match.
The Tashkent Open has been a WTA event since 1999 and the trophy ceremony has kept its traditions.
Another tradition is for the champions and finalists to wear Chapans - traditional Central Asian coats.
At 16, Donna Vekic was the youngest player to reach a WTA final since Tamira Paszek six years ago.
The singles and doubles finalists were all on hand for the trophy ceremony on Saturday afternoon.
Paula Kania, Polina Pekhova, Anna Chakvetadze and Vesna Dolonc all held up their doubles trophies.
Paula Kania and Polina Pekhova both collected their first WTA titles of any kind in the doubles event.
