LINZ, Austria -- Russia's Nadia Petrova captured her first WTA title Sunday, defeating Switzerland's Patty Schnyder 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the Generali Ladies final.
Petrova, a successful doubles player, is set to rise one spot to No. 9 in the rankings. She had lost her previous four finals, including two this year.
"It was very important that this happened finally," said Petrova, seeded third. "I've now achieved everything I wanted to this year -- to play very consistently, to have good results in the Grand Slams, and now to win a title."
Schnyder, the runner-up in Zurich last week, was seeded fourth and going for her third WTA title of the year. But after winning the first set, her game deteriorated. She made 43 unforced errors, most in the last two sets.
"I started well, but then my game got really faulty," she said.
She started the final after taking a painkiller for the hand she cut and bruised while smashing her racket on the ground in the semifinals.
Schnyder pulled ahead 3-1 but Petrova tied it 3-3. Schnyder again applied pressure and, behind excellent serve-and-volley tennis, took the set. In the second set, Schnyder's serve and forehand faltered. She returned well but Petrova evened the match.
"I was rather nervous and made silly mistakes at the beginning," Petrova said.
Petrova pulled ahead 4-0 in the last set and then tightened.
"This was the point, when I got really nervous," she said. "Being so close to my first title made my legs disappear. ... I won 11 WTA titles in the doubles, but I was still waiting for a singles one. Now this waiting has come to an end."
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