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STUTTGART, Germany : Russian Nadia Petrova's wonderful year on the WTA Tour continued as she defeated French teenager Tatiana Golovin in straight sets to win the the 650,000 dollar indoor event here.
Fourth seed Petrova outclassed the unseeded Golovin winning 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to collect 98,500 dollars in prize money and a luxury Porsche sportscar.
It was a fifth WTA title this year for the 24-year-old Petrova who had overcome second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in a mammoth semi-final.
"I have played my best tennis of the year here and I am delighted to win this title," said Petrova. "It was a hard match and I was jittery at the end but I came through."
Petrova had worn a giant bandage on her thigh all week and revealed she had left it on for good luck.
"I had a thigh strain in my first match and put the bandage on as a precaution. I did not really need it after that but I thought I would leave it on as it was bringing me luck," she said Sunday.
The 18-year-old Golovin, born in the Russian capital Moscow, will be disappointed at being unable to put up more of a fight against Petrova, but her performances in this tournament have confirmed why she is regarded as one of the most promising prospects on the Tour.
The elegant French ace has yet to win a WTA title but on the evidence of this tournament it is just a matter of time before she does.
"My problem was not fatigue from playing long matches - it was Nadia," admitted Golovin.
World No. 7 Petrova needed just 33 minutes to take the first set 6-3 with Golovin, quarter-finalist at this year's US Open, letting nerves get the better of her.
In the second set Golovin, who defeated Swiss fifth seed Patty Schnyder in her semi-final, got a foothold in the match and forced a tie-break.
However Petrova's big serve - which has been her major weapon all week - helped her dominate and she won the tie-break 7-4 to take the title.
While Petrova deserves credit for some great tennis throughout some high-profile withdrawals took the shine off this tournament.
French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne, US Open victor Maria Sharapova, reigning champion Lindsey Davenport and two-time winner Kim Clijsters all pulled out before the tournament.
France's top seed and world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo was the favourite but she also pulled out with a shoulder injury on the day of her first match and Russian third seed Elena Dementieva later withdrew with a thigh problem at the quarter-final stage.
- AFP /ls
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