American Lauren Davis, ranked 61st, is the winner of the WTA tournament in Auckland, where she defeated the best Croatian female tennis player Ana Konjuh with 6-3, 6-1 and made it to her first WTA title, leaving the 19-year-old Dubrovnik native with her only trophy from Nottingham in 2015
Davis reached her first triumph after 71 minutes of play in which she showed brilliant tennis, leaving Ana Konjuh without a real answer. The 23-year-old American lost only two games from 2-2 in the first set until the end, with the ending of the first set very important for the entire match, Jutarnji List reported on January 7, 2017.
Davis reached a first break point to lead 4-2, but Konjuh returned the break right away. But the American gained her first advantage in the eighth game, going on to win the first set without a lost point.
Davis continued to play in the same tempo in the second set, in which she broke Konjuh's serve right at the beginning. Unfortunately, our best female tennis player could not find a way to overturn the duel, mostly due to bad service and errors in the wrong moments. Konjuh made five double errors in the match, two giving her opponent break pints, while the last one brought Davis within a point of victory.
"Of course I am disappointed with a defeat in the finals, but this is not a bad beginning to the season. I congratulate Lauren, who played incredibly and sent every ball where it had to go," said Ana Konjuh after the match, her second defeat from Davis.
Their first match was also in Auckland, in the octofinals three years ago, when the American needed three sets to win. Last season Davis was close to winning her first title, but was defeated in tournament finals in Washington and Quebec City.
"The feeling is great, unreal. I've waited for this moment for several years. Two defeats in finals in the last year were demotivating and frustrating. But, third time is a charm," said the exhilarated American who earned 43.000 USD and 280 points for her triumph in Auckland.
Ana Konjuh received 21.400 USD, and with 180 new points our tennis player reached her best career ranking, going up by 11 positions, to 36th place in the singles WTA ranking.
