Svitolina into women's tennis top 10 with Dubai Open triumph

 Ukrainian Elina Svitolina beat Dane Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-2 in the women's singles final of the WTA Dubai duty Free Tennis Championship here on Saturday and rose into world top 10 for the first time.

Svitolina who complained on Thursday about pain in her toes appeared for the final in good shape and highly motivated.

"I am really happy, I played my game, I gave everything and will celebrate my victory and my rise into the women's top 10 for the first time in my career with a lunch with my coaches in a nice place in Dubai on Sunday," she said after the match.

The 22-year-old Odessa-born player who upset top seed, Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-3, 7-6 (3) on Friday cashed in 487,245 dollars prize money.

"This tournament is very well organized. The hotel is just near the DDF tennis stadium. You can practice at any time on the training courts and I thank the organizer DDF for this great week of tennis!" added Svitolina.

Due to the cloudy and sometimes rainy weather during the week, the stadium in Dubai's Algarhoud district was never fully sold out.

For Caro Wozniacki it was the second ending as a runner-up within two weeks, after the 26-year-old lost the final at the Qatar open on Doha last Sunday against Karolina Pliskova from the Czech Republic.

"I really tried hard, but I felt I lost a bit steam. And Elina played really well, I could have been a more disciplined maybe" said Wozniacki.

Nevertheless the Dane, ranked 15 in the WTA list's singles ranking, took her defeat with sportive professionalism. "I am a positive person, hence I will use the next days to recover and will then carry on."

Svitolina will head on Sunday evening to Kuala Lumpur where she will play the 2017 BMW Malaysia Open which will kick off on Monday.

"I have confidence now and I just go out and want to win, that is always my main goal," she said.

source: Xinhua