CANBERRA: South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon has made history by winning the Adelaide International reported Xinhua.
Kwon, 25, on Saturday night beat world No. 26 Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4) to become the first South Korean player to win multiple professional titles after previously claiming the Astana Open in 2021.
The world No 84, who entered the draw as a lucky loser, twice came back from a breakdown in the third set to win in two hours and 43 minutes.
He will head to the Australian Open to take on Christopher Eubanks in the first round.
“It was a really tough match today and the fans here are fantastic in helping us. It’s a great place to play,“ Kwon said.
Kwon broke Bautista Agut’s serve early in the first set and did not relent, striking 15 winners in the opener to the Spaniard’s five.
Bautista Agut turned it around in the second set, winning all but two points on his first serve, but could not hold his nerve after taking the lead in the decider.
Earlier, Swiss world No. 13 Belinda Bencic produced one of the most dominant displays of her career in a 6-0, 6-2 demolition of Daria Kasatkina.
The reigning Olympic champion lost only eight points in the opening set and broke serve again in the first game of the second set to set up the victory.
“I’m really happy to win this title. I came up short in a final here two years ago so I’m happy to come back and get this one,“ Bencic said.
Bencic heads to the Australian Open having won 10 of her past 11 matches. – Bernama