By Erik Gudris | Saturday, May 24, 2014
Canada's Eugenie Bouchard won her first ever WTA title in Nurnberg. Puerto Rico's Monica Puig also claimed her maiden title in Strasbourg.
Photo Credit: AP
Two of the WTA's youngest but fastest rising stars each collected their maiden titles this weekend just before the French Open.
French Open: Women's Draw Preview
At the Nurnberger Versicherungscup in Nurnberg, Germany, Eugenie Bouchard of Canada faced off against Karolina Pliskova in Saturday's final.
Though Pliskova already owned one WTA title to her credit, Bouchard was in search of her first ever title after an earlier finals appearance in Osaka last year.
Early on, it appeared the 20-year-old Bouchard would make it a quick day for herself. Claiming the opening set 6-2, Bouchard soon found herself up 4-2 in the second set. Yet Pliskova would rally by winning the next four games to pocket the set 6-4.
The final set proved a back and forth contest with both players trading multiple breaks of serve. Bouchard managed to break Pliskova's big serve once again to go up 5-3. Serving for the title, Bouchard held off Pliskova to reach match point.
Setting up an overhead winner, Bouchard smashed her way to a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory giving her that once elusive first WTA title.
Bouchard, a semifinalist at the Australian Open this January, is now only the second Canadian woman to win a title in the last 26 years since 1998.
After her win, Bouchard posted this celebratory picture on Twitter.
Puig Claims Maiden Title in Strasbourg
Puerto Rico's Monica Puig struggled early this season with consistent results. But a recent pairing with new coach Ricardo Sanchez appears to be what Puig needed as she competed at this week's Internationaux de Strasbourg event in Strasbourg, France.
After beating American Madison Keys in Saturday's semifinal, Puig found herself up against Spain's Silvia Soler-Espinosa in the final. Soler-Espinosa, who beat Christina McHale in the semis, was also in search of her first ever WTA title.
The 20-year-old Puig took control early and soon claimed the opening set 6-4. Going up a break in the second set, Puig held on to her advantage.
Never facing a break point throughout the afternoon, Puig soon clinched the 6-4, 6-3 victory. A delighted Puig, who didn't drop a set all week, collapsed to the court in celebration of her milestone achievement.
Puig now enters Paris with her first round match being against No. 19 seed Sam Stosur.