FILE – Spain´s Sara Sorribes celebrates after winning against Japan´s Naomi Osaka during their Fed Cup Qualifiers first round match between Spain and Japan on February 7, 2020 at La Manga Club in Cartagena. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP)
Sara Sorribes Tormo regrouped late to capture her first WTA Tour title Saturday with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over former world number five Eugenie Bouchard in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Spain’s Sorribes, ranked 71st in the world and seeded fourth in the hardcourt tournament, buckled down to win the final four games and seal the victory over the big-hitting Canadian, who remains in search of a second career title seven years after she lifted her lone WTA trophy to date at Nuremberg in 2014.
That was the same year Bouchard reached the Wimbledon final, rising as high as fifth in the world.
But she has since endured years of disappointment, fighting to return to form after suffering a concussion when she slipped in the locker room at the 2015 US Open.
Bouchard was playing in her eighth career final, and her first since Istanbul last year.
The 24-year-old Sorribes was in her first WTA final, and made it count.
The Spaniard took full advantage of 22 unforced errors from Bouchard in the opening set, making just seven herself and saving all seven break points she faced.
She opened the second set by breaking Bouchard, and when they had traded three straight breaks Sorribes held to take a 3-1 lead, appearing to be on her way.
But Bouchard won the next four games, breaking Sorribes at love for a 5-3 lead and a chance to serve to even the match.
Instead, Sorribes roared back, sealing the victory on her first match point with a high volley into open court.