DENPASAR, Indonesia, Sept 17 - Svetlana Kuznetsova
won her second title of the season on Sunday when she defeated
Marion Bartoli of France 7-5 6-2 to win her third Bali
International title.
The top-seeded Russian, who won in 2002 and 2004, is
undefeated in 13 matches at the event.
Kuznetsova, who won in Miami in March and finished as
runner-up at the French Open and Warsaw, withstood an aggressive
performance from her sixth-seeded opponent, matching her in the
fiercely contested rallies.
Bartoli, who injured her left arm in the warm-up, showed no
ill-effects as she held a break point in the opening game.
Kuznetsova held off that threat and broke to lead 2-0, but then
surprisingly dropped the next 10 points, conceding her serve
with a double-fault.
Games in the baseline battle then went with serve, with
Kuznetsova failing to convert two set points on Bartoli's serve
at 5-4, holding off a break point at 5-5 with an ace but then
breaking for the set when Bartoli double-faulted.
Kuznetsova struggled to hold serve to begin the second set,
fighting off a break point before holding on her fifth game
point, but then she closed out her next service game with
consecutive aces.
An easy putaway at the net earned her a 3-1 lead, and
although Bartoli broke Kuznetsova to love, the Russian hitting
her ninth double-fault on break point, Kuznetsova in turn broke
Bartoli at love to lead 4-2.
Kuznetsova's 10th ace gave her a 5-2 lead as Bartoli, who
suffered from cramps in her semi-final win over Patty Schnyder,
flexed her left leg, and a further break gave her an ultimately
comfortable victory.