By Chris Oddo | Sunday April 8, 2018
Kiki Bertens scratched and clawed her way past Madison Keys to reach the Volvo Car Open on Sunday. Then she sailed past Julia Goerges in the final to claim her biggest career title, 6-2, 6-1.
A double for the Dutchwoman...
Bertens had to work for it, but managed to come through a harrowing battle with fellow hard-hitter Keys in dramatic fashion. She failed to convert two match points against the America in her first match of the day, a semifinal that had been postponed due to rain last night. Keys would later roll through the second-set tiebreaker and even had a match point of her own while serving at 5-4 in the final set, but Bertens caught a break in the form of a netted forehand and soon broke to level at 5-all.
After failing to hold serve, Bertens broke back to force a tiebreaker and converted her third match point on a Keys backhand error.
Goerges knocked off Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, 7-6(5), 6-3, in her semifinal (which was suspended on Saturday at 4-4 in the first set), but was no match for Bertens in the final. Goerges had to return to the court less than two hours after her semifinal win and said she didn't reset well enough to compete with Bertens.
"I think one hour and 45 wasn't quite enough to recover and be as well as I want to be prepared for a final," she told reporters after the final. "But I have to take it as is.'
She added, of Bertens: "I know that she's a hell of a player, and for me it's great if I have to lose to someone, I want to lose to her today."
Bertens, seeded 12, improved to 2-0 against Goerges, with both of her wins coming on clay. Bertens is now 70-30 lifetime on clay, with all five of her titles coming on the surface.