(Cleveland) American McCartney Kessler, 98e world player, won the WTA tournament in Cleveland on Saturday by beating Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, 23e world player, 1-6, 6-1, 7-5.
At 25, Kessler won her first title on the WTA Tour.
The match had started well for the Brazilian, seeded number 1 in the tournament, who did not waste time in the first set, winning 6-1 after breaking in the second game and again in the sixth.
But the American, who benefited from the surprise in this tournament, recovered by breaking her opponent’s serve three times in the second set to win 6-1.
The deciding set proved to be much tighter, with Haddad Maia breaking to lead 3-1 but Kessler immediately responding by seizing her rival’s serve in turn before levelling at 3 games all.
Haddad Maia saved a break point at 5-5 but lost the second as the set reached an hour of play. Kessler did not let his chance slip away and won the match on his serve thanks to a shutout and an unforced error from his opponent.