Moorilla Hobart International Tennis - Australian Open Series

Bondarenko wins title

Saturday 16 January 2010 Comments

Alona Bondarenko has secured her second Sony Ericsson WTA Tour career title, winning the Moorilla Hobart International today.

Bondarenko, the tournament fourth seed, defeated No.2 seed Shahar Peer in the final 6-2 6-4.

“I have waited a couple of years for this title and I’m happy I won.  I hope it’s not the last for this year,” Bondarenko said.

“She (Peer) played great, we have played already a couple of time[s] and I have lost and I have won … today was my day and I won.”

It was a case of fifth time lucky for Bondarenko who has contested the tournament each year since 2006, with her next best result being a quarterfinal appearance in her first year.

The 24-year-old Ukrainian’s only other Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title came in 2006 in Luxemburg.

Bondarenko will now set her sights on the Australian Open, where she is drawn to play a qualifier in the opening round.

“I’m feeling good, and I hope I can play well in Melbourne,” Bondarenko said.

Peer, though disappointed with the loss today, will be confident heading into the Australian Open after a great start to 2010.  As well as the final in Hobart she reached the semifinals in Auckland last week.

“I am happy with my year, I played semifinal (Auckland) and the final this week, next week I will need to raise my level of course and I hope to play better from the first match,” Peer said.

Tags: Alona Bondarenko, Shahar Peer

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