07 March 2011 | 16:12

Voskoboeva and Safina win Malaysian Open

Voskoboeva and Safina win Malaysian Open Galina Voskoboeva and Dinara Safina won BMW Malaysian Open doubles on March 6 in Kuala Lumpur, the event’s website reads. In the Sunday doubles final the Russian-Kazakh combination of Dinara Safina and Galina Voskoboeva defeated the Thai-Aussie duo of Noppawan Lertcheewakarn and Jessica Moore to land the title. It was a pulsating tie that kept the spectators at the edge of their seats, as these two pairs displayed high quality tennis which was a clear indication of a strong will to win. Safina and Voskoboeva won 7-5, 2-6, 10-5, and the win was their first ever in a final of a WTA event as a pair. Voskoboeva and Safina managed to break Moore's serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead and despite losing the tenth game when Galina's serve was conceded, they managed to win the next two service games to take the first set in 42 minutes. In the second set, Lertcheewakarn and Moore broke Vaoskoboeva's serve to take a 5-1 lead, before their opponent broke back. In the eight game, Moore, who was on her serve, hit a forehand down the line winner for a 6-2 victory, forcing the title to be decided via super tie break. Both Voskoboeva and Safina hit winners for a 5-0 lead before their feisty opponents recorded two break points to reduce the deficit. But Voskoboeva and Safina broke Moore's serve twice for a 7-2 lead, but Safina's serve was broken twice for the Thai and Australian duo to reduce the deficit. Voskoboeva and Safina conceded one point before taking the title, after a poor return from Moore. “Our opponents in the final were not much tougher than the previous opponents we played en route to the final. We knew that to win, everything depended on us, and we made sure that we were on top of our game coming into this evening’s final,” Voskoboeva said. Safina commented, “It was nice to win the doubles title and be back to winning ways. I am definitely on my way back to my best form after an injury ravaged year last year, so I am pretty happy with this win. From here on I will be heading to the States for singles competition at Indian Wells and I hope to carry on with my good form there.” In the singles final Czech Lucie Safarova took on resurgent Aussie JelenaDokic, with the both of them playing a competitive match, making it a memorable final to remember. After slightly more than two and a half hours of an exciting and entertaining marathon match, Dokic emerged victorious and was crowned as the new BMW Malaysian Open Champion, as she defeated a subdued Safarova 2-6,7-6,6-4 for her first title in nine years, with her last tournament win dating back to 2002 in Birmingham, England. Galina Voskoboeva turned pro in 2002. During her career, she has won two ITF singles titles: in Mont-de-Marsan in 2003, and Cuneo in 2006. In 2008, she changed her nationality from Russian to Kazakhstani. BMW Group Malaysia is the title sponsor for the 2nd Malaysian Open of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour named the BMW Malaysian Open 2011. 32 single players and 16 doubles teams competed in a knockout competition for their share of a $ 220 thousand prize purse.

Voskoboeva and Safina win Malaysian Open Galina Voskoboeva and Dinara Safina won BMW Malaysian Open doubles on March 6 in Kuala Lumpur, the event’s website reads. In the Sunday doubles final the Russian-Kazakh combination of Dinara Safina and Galina Voskoboeva defeated the Thai-Aussie duo of Noppawan Lertcheewakarn and Jessica Moore to land the title. It was a pulsating tie that kept the spectators at the edge of their seats, as these two pairs displayed high quality tennis which was a clear indication of a strong will to win. Safina and Voskoboeva won 7-5, 2-6, 10-5, and the win was their first ever in a final of a WTA event as a pair. Voskoboeva and Safina managed to break Moore's serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead and despite losing the tenth game when Galina's serve was conceded, they managed to win the next two service games to take the first set in 42 minutes. In the second set, Lertcheewakarn and Moore broke Vaoskoboeva's serve to take a 5-1 lead, before their opponent broke back. In the eight game, Moore, who was on her serve, hit a forehand down the line winner for a 6-2 victory, forcing the title to be decided via super tie break. Both Voskoboeva and Safina hit winners for a 5-0 lead before their feisty opponents recorded two break points to reduce the deficit. But Voskoboeva and Safina broke Moore's serve twice for a 7-2 lead, but Safina's serve was broken twice for the Thai and Australian duo to reduce the deficit. Voskoboeva and Safina conceded one point before taking the title, after a poor return from Moore. “Our opponents in the final were not much tougher than the previous opponents we played en route to the final. We knew that to win, everything depended on us, and we made sure that we were on top of our game coming into this evening’s final,” Voskoboeva said. Safina commented, “It was nice to win the doubles title and be back to winning ways. I am definitely on my way back to my best form after an injury ravaged year last year, so I am pretty happy with this win. From here on I will be heading to the States for singles competition at Indian Wells and I hope to carry on with my good form there.” In the singles final Czech Lucie Safarova took on resurgent Aussie JelenaDokic, with the both of them playing a competitive match, making it a memorable final to remember. After slightly more than two and a half hours of an exciting and entertaining marathon match, Dokic emerged victorious and was crowned as the new BMW Malaysian Open Champion, as she defeated a subdued Safarova 2-6,7-6,6-4 for her first title in nine years, with her last tournament win dating back to 2002 in Birmingham, England. Galina Voskoboeva turned pro in 2002. During her career, she has won two ITF singles titles: in Mont-de-Marsan in 2003, and Cuneo in 2006. In 2008, she changed her nationality from Russian to Kazakhstani. BMW Group Malaysia is the title sponsor for the 2nd Malaysian Open of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour named the BMW Malaysian Open 2011. 32 single players and 16 doubles teams competed in a knockout competition for their share of a $ 220 thousand prize purse.