World number four Agnieszka Radwanska won the KDB Korea Open 2013 in Seoul on Sunday after a two-hour, 45-minute marathon match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia. This is Radwanska’s third title of the season and 13th overall. The match was a close one with Pole winning – 67(6) 63 64.
“Especially after a great match, almost three hours of great tennis at a really high level, of course I’m very happy,” Radwanska said. “It was a very close match – tight sets, all of them – but I was just a little bit better in the important moments today. And at the end of the third set I think I was playing a little bit more aggressively than she was, and I managed to win a couple more points than her in the end.”
Radwanska shared that she enjoyed her whole stay in Seoul, although she would have wanted to have enough time to tour around the city.
“I really enjoyed my whole week here,” Radwanska said. “Everything and everyone was great. It was nice to see the crowd getting bigger and bigger every day, and they really appreciated the tennis.
“I didn’t see much of the city while I was here though,” she added. “I arrived a little bit late and I was playing almost every day, and tonight I have a flight to Tokyo. But I think this is the reason I have to come back here again and see something other than the courts! I hope to be back next year.”
The KDB Korea Open is a WTA International event but has a lucrative total cash prize of $500,000.
Pavlyuchenkova said she’s still proud of her performance in the event despite the loss.
“It’s tough losing this match after fighting so long and coming so close,” Pavlyuchenkova said. “It’s difficult and frustrating, but in tennis you can be up then down and you lose some and you win some.
“I’m actually proud of myself. I had a great week. I showed some good tennis and it was a great final. And I was pretty tired – not only after a few tough matches, but even coming into the tournament after being in the States and the jet lag. So I’m proud to be in the final and come so close to the title.”
The doubles event was won by first-time titlists Chan Chin-Wei and Xu Yi-Fan.
