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By Erik Gudris | Sunday, April 13, 2014

 
Alize Cornet Dubai

In a dramatic three-hour plus battle, France's Alize Cornet held off a determined Camila Giorgi to win her fourth career WTA title in Katowice.

Photo Credit: AP
 

France's Alize Cornet overcame a determine opponent to win her fourth career WTA title at the BNP Katowice Open in Katowice, Poland.

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Standing in Cornet's way was Italy's Camila Giorgi. Though this was Giorgi's maiden WTA final, the Italian made Cornet earn the victory in over three hours during a hard fought battle filled with stellar shotmaking and emotion from all sides of the court. Cornet reached her second final of the season by beating top seed Agnieszka Radawanska in Saturday's semfinal.

Momentum swings proved the norm early on as Giorgi surged to a 3-1 advantage in the opening set. Cornet would soon level the set and then ride to a 5-4 lead. Giorgi would save one set point against her before leveling things at 5-all. Eventually, a tiebreak was needed to decide the set. A backhand error from Giorgi soon gave Cornet a 5-3 lead that she would not surrender.

Cornet held on to take the first set 7-6(3).

Building a 3-0 lead in the second set, Cornet looked poised to close out the match in straight sets. Giorgi though would battle back and eventually force Cornet to serve for the title up 5-4. A coaching consult from her father seemed to inspire Giorgi as she proceeded to break Cornet at love for 5-all.

Giorgi then went on a roll as she soon smacked a volley winner to take the set 7-5.

The final set proved a repeat of the second set as once again Cornet jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Giorgi responded in kind by battling back and then breaking Cornet with a forehand winner for 4-all. Ripping a backhand down the line winner, Giorgi soon held 5-4. Cornet fought off a match point in the next game to force the final set into 5-all.

A bad error from Giorgi in the next game gave Cornet the chance to serve again for the title at 6-5. Soon, Cornet held 40-0 and with it three match points.

A final error from Giorgi allowed Cornet to fall to the court and celebrate the hard fought 7-6(3), 5-7, 7-5, win.

Katowice is now the fourth career title for Cornet.

 

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