WTA TOUR
Petra Martic was full of praise for her opponent after winning the final of the Ladies Open Lausanne with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Serbian qualifier Olga Danilovic.
Martic suffered defeat to the young Serb in their only previous meeting on tour, at the Australian Open in 2021.
She has backed Danilovic to go on to enjoy a remarkable career, insisting she has already achieved so much in the game.
Danilovic had to qualify for the main draw of the ATP 250 event and though she lost the final she is still set to make a jump in the rankings.
“When I arrived here [in Lausanne] on the first day, it was the beginning of qualies; I came to check out the Center Court and the opening match was Olga,” Martic said.
“I was with my agent, and I told her, ‘I think this girl is going to be such a great player,’ and not only is she going to be, I think she already is.
“You already won a tournament like this, beaten me before, done so many nice things, and it’s only the beginning for you.”
Meanwhile, 31-year-old Martic is projected to return to the Top 60 in the WTA rankings next week.
Following a promising run at Wimbledon, which was ended by eventual champion Elena Rybakina, Martic claimed her second career WTA title beating three seeded players en route to the final.
Nuria Parrizas Diaz, Belinda Bencic and Caroline Garcia were all felled by the Croatian journeywoman.
Martic had won back-to-back matches just twice this year until Wimbledon but has now enjoyed good runs in successive tournaments and will hope for more in a strong finish to the year.
She needed just under an hour-and-half to sweep past Danilovic to make happy memories in the Swiss city.
After a tight opening seven games, where they traded breaks, Martic won nine of the last 11 games to put away Danilovic and win the match.
Martic’s maiden career title had also come at a clay court event when she triumphed in Istanbul in 2019, and she’s contested three of her five singles finals on the surface.
Petra Martic offers classy winner’s comments in Lausanne.