By Chris Oddo | Sunday April 10, 2016
American Sloane Stephens continued her remarkable season with a third title on Sunday, defeating Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina, 7-6(4), 6-2 to claim the Volvo Car Open, her third title in 2016.
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The 23-year-old American, who has now won four titles in ten months, claims her first title on clay and becomes the first American to claim the title at Charleston since Serena Williams in 2013.
“They keep asking me back to the tournament even though I only won one match in six years,” an upbeat Stephens said in her post-match victory speech. In addition to a silver plate, Stephens was gifted a Volvo for her efforts, which made the typically light-hearted American even more giddy than usual.
Stephens battled through a stiff challenge in Vesnina, the tournament’s first qualifier to reach the final in its history. Vesnina rallied from 5-2 down to level things up and force a first-set tiebreaker, but Stephens stood tall to claim a wild opener that saw the players combine to win just four of 23 second-serve points.
In the second set Stephens build on the momentum and raced out to a 5-1 lead before Vesnina held to stay in the match for 5-2. Vesnina saved three championship points with Stephens serving in the next game but the American converted her fourth to improve to 3-0 in finals on the season.
Stephens now stands tied with Victoria Azarenka for the WTA lead in titles in 2016. She claims $128,100 in prize money to go with 470 rankings points. The former World No. 11 will rise to No. 22 in the world as a result of her title.
Vesnina will rise from No. 85 to inside the Top 55 thanks to her run to the final.
Third-seeded Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic claimed the doubles title by ousting top-seeded Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova, 6-2, 7-5. The French duo won its first title in just their sixth event together as a team. They were also finalists at Sydney and Dubai this season.