Svetlana Kuznetsova stages incredible comeback to win Citi Open

WTA Tour
Svetlana Kuznetsova celebrates

Svetlana Kuznetsova survived four match points to beat Donna Vekic in the Citi Open final.

The two-time Grand Slam champion found herself staring down the barrel in the second set, but stormed back to claim a 4-6, 7-6 (7-9), 6-2 victory for her second title in Washington following her success in 2014.

Vekic came within a point of winning the title on several occasions as she had four match points during the second-set tie-breaker, but the Russian fought back to take it to a decider.

Kuznetsova, who has fallen to No 128 in the world following a long spell on the sidelines due to injury, took control of the deciding set as she opened a 5-0 lead before the Croatian added some respectability to the score.

However, she wrapped up the final on her first match point.

“In the second set, each of us holding serve, I was some match points down, I just managed to hang in there,” the Russian, whose previous WTA Tour title came at the 2016 Kremlin Cup, said after the match.

“I knew I was close, I could turn it around, but of course it was really tight in the second set. Then the third set, I felt [Vekic] was really down on herself and she was tired; I felt better and I found my game.”

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