Final:
Maria Sakkari (1) (Greece) v Anett Kontaveit (2) (Estonia)
The two players had met twelve times previously, splitting the contests 6 apiece. Five of those were last year, with the last two won by Kontaveit -
the Ostrava final in September, and semis of the WTA Finals in November in Guadalajara.
Kontaveit, with a win in the final, would extend her winning streak of indoor matches to 20.
In her 13th final, Kontaveit was searching for a sixth title.
Sakkari, in her fourth final, was aiming for a second title, her first coming in Morocco, May 2019.
Kontaveit served first, and held to love, a forehand winner included.
Sakkari did likewise. 1-1.
Kontaveit saved a break point in the third game with a lucky net cord, and then held serve.
In the sixth game Kontaveit cracked the Sakkari serve, converting the third of three break points.
The second seed consolidated for 5-2, but failed to win another game for the set which Sakkari won 7-5.
Set two began with Kontaveit dropping serve for a third successive time, unforced errors costing her dear.
The third game saw five deuces and Kontaveit save three break points, two with attacking winners.
Sakkari still led 2-1 with a break.
Not to be outdone, in the following game Sakkari also saved three break points and extended her advantage to 3-1.
After holding strongly, Kontaveit broke back in the sixth game to level at 3-3.
At 5-5 Kontaveit saved two break points before holding serve and leading 6-5.
From 30-0, Sakkari lost three straight points to face set point. She saved that and forced a tie break.
At the change of ends it was 3-3, but Kontaveit won the next three points, giving her three set points.
Sakkari could only save one and Kontaveit levelled the match at 5-7 7-6(4).
In the decider, Sakkari survived a four deuce game before holding serve then breaking Kontaveit and leading 2-0.
In the fifth game Kontaveit had three chances to break back, but Sakkari saved each of them and the lead was 4-1.
Serving at 5-3 for the match, Sakkari was broken, and Kontaveit was back with a chance.
Games were 5-5 once Kontaveit consolidated the break.
In what was almost a mirror image of the first set, Kontaveit, from being down 2-5, broke Sakkari in the eleventh game, and found herself about to serve for the match at 6-5.
Anett Kontaveit, from multiple positions of despair, ultimately strode a path to victory 5-7 7-6(4) 7-5.
The win will lift her ranking to a career high of #6.
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