Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Tuesday 7 augusT 2018
Buzarnescu captures first career singles title at San Jose

By JANIE McCAULEY of Greece 6-1, 6-0 at San tennis as her troublesome lins. That was the only set
AP Sports Writer Jose State University. knees baffled the doctors. she lost all week before
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — For No. 24-ranked Buzarnescu "I just didn't give up be- Sunday.
a moment as she celebrat- threw her arms in the air in cause I had my closest By the final, she was ner-
ed her first career title, an triumph and hit a ball into friends and my family who vous and physically spent.
emotional, overjoyed Mi- the stands Sunday after supported me," Buzarnescu "She could do anything she
haela Buzarnescu stood closing out the match with said of reaching this high wanted. That was easier for
on the court and made an a 107 mph ace on a day point. "... Now I believe in it her," Sakkari said. "She han-
apology for a tournament several Romanian flags and before I didn't believe dled it great. She took the
missing major star power. were held in the stands. She in anything." opportunity I was not play-
No Serena Williams. No Ve- raised her racket, waved Serena Williams, the Wim- ing good. I felt like I didn't
nus. They each had early and acknowledged those bledon runner-up, suffered have any solutions."
exits, leaving no Americans fans, too. a career-worst 6-1, 6-0 loss Buzarnescu rallied from a
to cheer for Sunday in the "It really means a lot," she in her opener to Johanna set down to beat fourth-
Mubadala Silicon Valley said. "It means all my work Konta while playing just seeded Elise Mertens 4-6,
Classic. has paid off. It means ev- her fifth tournament since Mihaela Buzarnescu, of 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals.
"I'm sorry that there was no erything." giving birth to her daugh- Romania, kisses the winner's After Sunday's win, she was
American in the final but, Buzarnescu, a left-hander ter last September. Sakkari trophy after defeating Maria quick to credit the 23-year-
well, I'm really happy to be who ranked No. 142 only eliminated Venus Williams Sakkari, of Greece, during old Sakkari for a sensa-
on the poster next year so a year ago and has come in the quarterfinals on Fri- the finals of the Mubadala tional week of tennis and
that's really amazing for back from two knee surger- day night. Silicon Valley Classic tennis expressed hope they will
tournament in San Jose,
me," she said. ies, mixed her shots beau- "I gained confidence and Calif., Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018. both face off in many big
Just with those words, the tifully with laser ground- experience. It has been a Buzarnescu won 6-1, 6-0. matches again down the
fifth-seeded Romanian strokes to send Sakkari great week for me," Sakkari Associated Press line after meeting for the
drew big applause and chasing down balls in the said. "I think I will be more first time.
chuckles. corners while adding some prepared for my next final." set featured nine deuces. "I hope we will play again
Her gracious spirit, steady slice and drop shots. Sakkari missed on four Sakkari reached her first and again and the best
strokes and entertaining She is thrilled to be on the break-point chances in the career final after surviving should win," she said while
play sure helped, too. rise at this stage in her final game of the first set, near elimination — she was thanking everyone who
Buzarnescu is a champion topsy-turvy career after when Buzarnescu double- two games from losing — in supported the event for-
at last at age 30, beating considering what her next faulted twice, while the last a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 semifinal vic- mally held at Stanford
49th-ranked Maria Sakkari move would be beyond two games of the opening tory against Danielle Col- University.q