Vasylyeva reigns supreme

In an error-filled final, the Ukrainian top seed overcame the eighth seed in three sets, her 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 victory fetching her 12 WTA ranking points and $1600 in prize money.
“I am very happy with this effort,” Vasylyeva said later. “I put in a lot of hard work preparing for this tournament, and I am delighted all that effort has paid off.”

Vasylyeva will be the first to admit, however, that she benefited immensely from her Thai opponent’s generosity. Obviously troubled by her right shoulder, Kumkhum sent down a whopping 18 double-faults, a decisive error considering that at 400, the Ukrainian was a good 206 places above her in the WTA rankings.

The early exchanges provided an indication of things to come as the opening set was littered with service breaks. Kumkhum drew first blood in the third game, but Vasylyeva hit back immediately. The duo traded breaks until, from 3-3, the Ukrainian pulled away, holding serve and then picking up the decisive break before serving out the set.

Undeterred, Kumkhum dominated the second set, quelling a brief fightback from Vasylyeva. The Thai saw a 3-0 lead being whittled down to 3-2, but then got on a roll, breaking the Ukrainian twice to level the match at a set apiece.

Vasylyeva imposed herself at the start of the decider, untroubled on serve and benefitting from Kumkhum’s spate of double-faults to pull 4-0 clear. Not for the first time, the Thai fought back to 3-4, but a final break in the ninth game allowed Vasylyeva to clinch the set 6-3 and with it the match.
Result:
Singles, final: 1-Anastasiya Vasylyeva (Ukr) bt 8-Luksika Kumkhum (Tha) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.