By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, February 4, 2024
Nineteen-year-old Diana Shnaider dethroned defending champion Zhu Lin 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 to capture her maiden title in Hua Hin.
Photo credit: WTA Thailand Open Facebook
Soaked in sweat at the end of the second set, Diana Shnaider was dancing with the dolphin at the end of this Hua Hin final.
The 19-year-old Shnaider delivered a bold baseline barrage dethroning defending champion Zhu Lin 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 to capture her maiden title in Hua Hin.
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A smiling Shnaider celebrated her first Tour-level title hoisting the distinctive gold Hua Hin dolphin trophy.
The 250-level title felt like a major achievement for the teenager.
“I want to congratulate Lin for a great week,” Shnaider said. “Atmosphere feels like a Grand Slam.
"I’m not lying, this is a Grand Slam for me, here. The people, everything, energy is unbelievable for me.”
Shnaider majored in exploratory studies at NC State and spent much of her second career final powerfully probing the corners of the court.
The left-handed Shnaider saved all five break points she faced, snapping Zhu’s nine-match Thailand Open winning streak. Shnaider wrapped a superb week that saw her topple top-seeded Magda Linette in the first round then take down former Indian Wells champion Paula Badosa, Dalma Galfi and Xinyu Wang before beating Zhu for the second time in as many meetings.
Elevating her level at crunch time, Shnaider scored her sixth career Top 50 win in a victory that vaults her to No. 73 in the live rankings.
“First of all I want to congratulate Diana for an incredible week,” Zhu said during the trophy presentation. “You’ve been playing amazing tennis. Congratulations, you deserve it…
“I always get lots of positive energy here. Thank you guys. Hopefully, I see you next year.”
The left-handed Shnaider came out belting the ball hitting deep drives down the line to punctuate points in racing out to a 4-1 lead.
To that point, Zhu was coming out second best in rallies.
The defending champion amped up her aggression, holding in the sixth game then turned up the pressure on her opponent.
A superb strike down the line gave Zhu break point in the seventh game. Shnaider sailed a shot as Zhu broke back for 3-4.
Relentless aggression from Shnaider helped her close the set with decisive drives.
Deadlocked 30-all, Zhu missed a short backhand down the line to face a break point. Shnaider stuck a return off the baseline breaking again for 5-3.
Applying her lefty swinging serve, the Moscow native served out the set at 15. Shnaider saved four of five break points she faced and won 11 of 16 second-serve points in the set. Zhu served only 46 percent and won just three of 14 second-serve points in the 44-minute opening set.
Both women left the court after the opening set.
The second seed returned refreshed and was stinging the ball with more self-assurance. Zhu rattled out errors, breaking Shnaider in snaring a 4-2 second-set lead.
Zhu raced through eight of nine points extending her lead to 5-2.
Errors were piling up fast and furious from the former NC State star.
A dialed in Zhu drilled a backhand winner breaking at love to take the second set on a four-game run and force a final set. Zhu roared through 12 of the last 13 points of the second set.
Shaking off the sloppy end to the second set, Shnaider was scorching shots to start the decider.
Unleashing a crackling running backhand down the line, Shnaider earned triple break point to open then scored the love break. Shnaider surged through eight of the first nine points of the final set opening a 2-0 lead.
Dancing around her backhand, Shnaider waited for Zhu to make her move then spun a clean forehand winner down the line gaining the double break and a 4-1 lead.
A fantastic full-stretch forehand volley from Shnaider brought her to championship point.
Racing up to a net-cord shot, Shnaider shoveled a backhand winner crosscourt knocking off the defending champion to earn her maiden WTA title one minute shy of two hours.