CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) — Unseeded Svetlana Kuznetsova squndered four match points before winning her first title in 10 months with a 6-4, 6-7 (7), 6-3 win over No. 4 seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the Mercury Insurance Open finals on Sunday.
Kuznetsova effectively used her booming forehand early, but had to survive losing leads of 4-0 and 6-3 in the second-set tiebreak. Kuznetsova played tight on all of her four match points, including double faulting twice, before Radwanska closed out the tiebreak.
The 21st-ranked Russian won her first title since she defeated Radwanska in straight sets at Beijing in October.
Kuznetsova, who has 13 career titles, became only the second player ranked outside the Top 10 to win this event here since 1989.
