Titles - Sandgren, Kenin, Kvitová, de Minaur

Finals day in Sydney, Auckland and Hobart.

AUCKLAND 

ATP

ASB Classic Final

Tennys Sandgren defeated wildcard Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-2

His first ATP title.

HOBART 

WTA

Hobart International Final

Sofia Kenin defeated Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3 6-0

Her first WTA title.

SYDNEY

ATP

Sydney International semi final

Alex de Minaur (5) defeated Gilles Simon (4) 6-3 6-2

Sydney International Final

Alex de Minaur (5) v Andreas Seppi (8)

In his second match for the day, having already won the delayed semi final, de Minaur dropped serve in the opening game of the final.  He retrieved the situation for 3-3, and while the set appeared to be tie break bound, the Australian attacked Seppi’s forehand in the twelfth game, and the Italian errors flowed.  de Minaur led 7-5.

Set two saw Seppi once more gain the initial break, leading 4-3, following a de Minaur double fault.

The fifth seed broke back immediately, and a tie break eventually decided the set.

After leading 3-1, Seppi let de Minaur back to 4-4 with a double fault not helping his cause.  However, the Australian contributed one of his own, and Seppi had the chance to serve out the set.

It was de Minaur who rose to the occasion, winning the next three points and the title 7-5, 7-6(5).

The first ATP title for de Minaur, after making the final and losing to Daniil Medvedev last year, and he is the youngest winner of the Sydney International since Lleyton Hewitt in 2001.

WTA

Sydney International Final

Wildcard Petra Kvitová (5) v Ash Barty 1-6 7-5 7-6(3)

Petra was nowhere to be found in set one, dropping serve three times to Barty, and not creating a single break point on the Australian serve, despite Barty having a terrible first serve percentage of 31.

Kvitová was down 4-5 and on serve in set two, but used all her skill and experience to fight back.  The Czech star took the final three games, including conversion of the only break chance for the set, created through a brilliant backhand.

Barty looked likely to take the title when ahead 3-0 in the decider, but the Kvitová backhand assisted her break back in the fifth game.

From there, it was the fifth seed calling the shots, breaking for a 5-4 lead.  Barty extended the contest, breaking back as Kvitová served for the title.

The Aussie did likewise when Petra had a second chance to serve it out at 6-5, double faults the killer for the dual Wimbledon champ.

The tie break was 3-3, but Kvitová asserted herself with some big backhands, and on the first match point a forehand winner sealed the title 1-6 7-5 7-6(3)

Sydney title number two for Petra Kvitová, who has won the last eight finals in which she has appeared.

Just a word on those trophies Sydney dished out - really crystal vases ? Surely they could have at least made the effort to attach a wooden base with the wording Sydney International 2019 to make it an actual trophy commemorating the specific event, not something to take home to Mum as another flower depository.