Szavay stuns Jankovic to win Beijing title
Tuesday, 25 September 2007
BEIJING, Sept 24 (AFP): Hungarian teenager Agnes Szavay came back from the brink to win the China Open Sunday with a tough three-set victory over Jelena Jankovic, denying the top seed a fifth title this season.
The 18-year-old Hungarian eventually won 6-7 (7/9) 7-5, 6-2 , and fell to her knees at the Beijing tennis centre.
"I'm so happy," she said as she kissed the crystal winner's goblet.
The surprise US Open quarter-finalist continued her 2007 run to glory after starting the year just inside the top 200 on the WTA.
The victory means Szavay will gate-crash the top 20 after eliminating the third top 10 opponent of her short career.
"I'm taking things step-by-step. Of course I want to be in the top 10, but the jump from top 20 is a huge job."
She added Serb number three Jankovic to her victim's list which included Daniela Hantuchova at New Haven in August and Nadia Petrova at the US Open.
The 18-year-old Hungarian eventually won 6-7 (7/9) 7-5, 6-2 , and fell to her knees at the Beijing tennis centre.
"I'm so happy," she said as she kissed the crystal winner's goblet.
The surprise US Open quarter-finalist continued her 2007 run to glory after starting the year just inside the top 200 on the WTA.
The victory means Szavay will gate-crash the top 20 after eliminating the third top 10 opponent of her short career.
"I'm taking things step-by-step. Of course I want to be in the top 10, but the jump from top 20 is a huge job."
She added Serb number three Jankovic to her victim's list which included Daniela Hantuchova at New Haven in August and Nadia Petrova at the US Open.