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Sara Sorribes Tormo’s the 2023 Cleveland Open winner. The Spaniard came from a set and multiple breaks across the second and third sets to post one last upset, that of fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, in the title round.
After nearly two hours and 30 minutes of play, Sorribes Tormo wrapped up the event with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win for herself. In the opening set, Alexandrova won 74% of her first-serve points to her opponent’s 47%. As the match progressed, Alexandrova’s serve started letting her down.
She also struggled massively when it came to winning points off her second serve. Of the latter two sets, it was the deciding set where Alexandrova’s game cracked although she was the one who twice held the break in the proceedings.
In that set, Sorribes Tormo, however, upped her game and serve considerably. Sorribes Tormo won 71% of her second-serve points in the third set and also won 72% points on return on her higher-ranked opponent’s second serve.
She was also helped by the four double faults Alexandrova hit in the set. For the match, Alexandrova had 14 double faults, 10 more than her rival’s four. All four of Sorribes Tormo’s double faults came in the first two sets.
After Cleveland Open, Sara Sorribes Tormo takes step towards New York City
After the match, the victor said, “I think I played every match better and better, so it was a very positive week for me and I’m very happy.
I was trying to find the solutions, because (Alexandrova) was hitting the ball so strong”. The Cleveland Open's the second WTA trophy of Sara Sorribes Tormo’s career. Her maiden tournament win came almost two years ago, in 2021 at the WTA 250 event in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Meanwhile, Ekaterina Alexandrova was trying to win a second WTA crown this year, after having won the Libema Open, in S’Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands. Both players will now travel to Flushing Meadows for the last Major of the year, the US Open.
Sorribes Tormo will take on 28th seed Anhelina Kalinina in the first round. Ekaterina Alexandrova, seeded 22nd, will play 2021 runner-up, Leylah Fernandez.