INQUIRER Sports

Svetlana Kuznetsova upset top-ranked Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-3 Sunday to win the Porsche Grand Prix and capture her first WTA title since September 2007.

Safina became No. 1 two weeks ago but failed to win her first tournament as the top-ranked player in the world.

Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S Open champion who is now ranked No. 9, had lost her last six finals, although she had not made another one this year before Stuttgart. But she was in command in Sunday?s all-Russian showdown with her aggressive, big-hitting game and won on her third match point with an overhead smash.

?It?s been a while. It?s great to be here and win,? Kuznetsova said before taking a spin on the court in a white Porsche convertible sports car that she won as first prize. ?It was a bit scary but I will definitely keep it. It?s special.?

Kuznetsova won the Stuttgart event in her fifth try.

Safina, the Australian Open runner-up, dropped her serve in the final game of the first set. Kuznetsova set it up with a perfect return down the line and Safina then put a backhand into the net.

She had two chances to break Kuznetsova?s serve in the third game of the second, but Kuznetsova held. Once she took a 4-2 lead, Kuznetsova never looked behind.

Safina saved one match at 5-3 and one more in the next game, but Kuznetsova in the end had too much fire power.

?She played very well and I didn?t feel very well today,? Safina said. ?But I am still No. 1.? /AP