QUALIFIER Hsieh Su Wei of Taiwan was 'handed' her first career WTA Tour title at the BMW Malaysian Open when Croatia's Petra Martic retired from heat exhaustion in the sixth game of the third set at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort yesterday.
Su Wei was leading 2-6, 7-5, 4-1 before Petra signalled to the chair in the sixth game that she wanted to discontinue. The 26-year-old is the first qualifier and Asian player to win the event's singles title.
The iron-willed Petra first withstood a three-hour battle against World No 14 Jelena Jankovic in her 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) win in the semi-finals which was postponed from Saturday due to rain, before facing Su Wei a few hours later.
"I feel so happy and I hope to continue winning after this. In my first visit here at 14, I won a title and in my last visit, I helped Taiwan do well in the Fed Cup Qualifiers (2009) and today (yesterday) I finally lifted my first tour title," said a delighted Su Wei yesterday.
"Kuala Lumpur seems to be a lucky charm for me. I got a bit lucky in the end as my quarter-final opponent Agnieszka (Radwanska) withdrew injured and Petra didn't finish.
"But I too had a tough time coming to Malaysia, not getting enough rest from Dubai and playing in the qualifiers."
In the first set, Su Wei, the World No 123, held serve in the first game before it turned out to be a one-sided affair with Petra breaking twice in the third and seventh game to win in only 30 minutes.
Petra used her powerful baseline game effectively to subdue Su Wei in the first set and the World No 66 looked solid at the beginning of the second set where she broke in the fifth game for a 3-2 lead.
Su Wei, however, managed to get the much needed break in the eighth game and it proved to be the turning point as Petra was by then struggling with cramps.
Petra called for the trainer after losing the 11th game for a massage and continued minutes later but the Croatian was misfiring on her serve in the 12th game to hand Su Wei the set.
Su Wei mixed her shots well in the third set to disorientate Petra, who could not move well on court. Petra called the trainer once each time after the fourth and fifth games.
On serve in the sixth game, Petra called quits after losing the first point.
"I will definitely return to defend my title next year. My next tournament is the Indian Wells, where I will only play doubles," Su Wei added.
Su Wei received US$37,000 (RM111,000) for her win while Petra earned US$19,000 (RM57,038).
Results:-
Singles, s-finals: Petra Martic (Cro) bt Jelena Jankovic (Srb) 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).
Final: Hsieh Su Wei (Tai) bt Petra Martic (Cro) 2-6, 7-5, 4-1 (rtd).
Doubles, s-final: Chan Hao Ching (Tai)-Rika Fujiwaara (Jpn) bt Karolina Pliskova (Cze)-Kristyna Pliskova (Cze) 5-7, 6-2, 11-9.
Final: Chang Kai Chen-Chuang Chia Jung (Tai) bt Chan Hao Ching (Tai)-Rika Fujiwaara (Jpn)
7-5, 6-4.
