TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup - a WTA International category tournament, on Red Clay, in Istanbul, Turkey, 22-28 April 2019.
Defending champion:
Pauline Parmentier who defeated Polona Hercog 6-4 3-6 6-3
- Marketa Vondrousova v Petra Martic (6)
Martic had a 3-0 record over Vondrousova before the Istanbul final, having won twice in 2018 and earlier this year in the Australian Open second round.
Today, Vondrousova, the Czech teenager, who had been in tremendous form, including a win over Simona Halep at Indian Wells, began by breaking the Martic serve, and she did this three times to create a 5-0 lead. Martic grabbed one of the breaks back, but lost her fourth service game immediately afterwards to surrender a forgettable set to Vondrousova 6-1.
Though the first set was one sided, Martic was beginning to compete better towards the end and it showed at the start of set two, when she broke the Czech serve in the opening game. Further service breaks came in the next two games, before a pair of comfortable holds had Martic ahead 3-2 and at the line.
Two game points came and went, and then the Croatian had to save three break points before holding firm for 4-2. Vondrousova avoided a set point when serving at 3-5, and Martic had the chance to serve and level the match. She did and forced a third set.
Martic broke Vondrousova three times in the decider and won the match 1-6 6-3 6-1.
The Istanbul Cup was the first WTA Tour title for Petra Martic.
Hungarian Open - an ATP 250 category tournament, on Red Clay, in Budapest, Hungary, 22-28 April 2019.
Defending champion:
Lucky loser Marco Cecchinato who defeated John Millman 7-5 6-4
- Matteo Berrettini v Qualifier Filip Krajinovic
In their first meeting, Berrettini served first and held impressively to love. He then had the chance to break the Serbian serve, but Krajinovic stood firm for 1-1. Another two love games on serve for the Italian formed part of a stretch which saw him win 15 of the first 16 points on his delivery.
Krajinovic was solid after his opening service game, and the score was 4-4.
Out of the blue, Berrettini let his guard down and Krajinovic gathered two break points in the ninth game. The second was used to convert into a break and the qualifier proceeded to serve out the set 6-4.
Set two belonged to Berrettini. For five games, he couldn’t crack the Krajinovic serve, but in game six he created three break chances, two saved. The third wasn’t and 4-2 the resultant scoreline. Berrettini won 80% of points on his serve in the set, and was able to eat into both the first and second deliveries of Krajinovic enough to cobble together another two break points in the eighth game. At 2-5 these were in fact set points, and fortunately for the Serbian, they were fought off.
It was of little concern to Berrettini who served out the set to love. 6-3 and a decider required
Set three was one way traffic - Berrettini won 86% of points on his serve, and 59% of points on his opponents delivery. Krajinovic held serve in the third game to trail 1-2, but that was his final success.
Matteo Berrettini won the Hungarian Open 4-6 6-3 6-1, his second ATP Tour title.
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