Cluj-Napoca: No. 1 seed Anastasia Potapova wins title after big final comeback

Top seed Anastasia Potapova has won the WTA 250 tournament in Cluj-Napoca after coming back from a set down in the final to beat world No. 72 Lucia Bronzetti 4-6 6-1 6-2. 

This week, the Russian reached her first WTA final since winning Linz in 2023 February.

And today, the 23-year-old created a big comeback to lift her third main glory. 

For Potapova, this was her first appearance at the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoce since 2022, when she made the semifinal. 

On the other side, Bronzetti – who ousted Simona Halep 6-1 6-1 earlier this week and ended the Romanian’s career – remains on one WTA title that she won in Rabat two years ago.

How Potapova overcame Bronzetti?

Early in the final, the top seed saved two break points before collecting the first break of the match in the sixth game to open a 4-2 lead.

Anastasia Potapova

Anastasia Potapova© Transylvania Open/Instagram – Fair Use

 

But then, the Russian suffered a collapse as the Italian went on to win the next four games – completely overturedn the deficit – and won the opener.

However, Potapova didn’t panic over losing the first set in a heartbreaking way as she went on a big second-set run after winning five games in a row from 1-1 to force a decider.

After winning the last five games of the second set, the 23-year-old also started the third set with an early break and a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth game, the Russian earned another break and that basically sealed the deal as the No. 1 seed served out for the match in the eighth game and completed her big comeback. 

​Tennis World USA


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