BELGRADE: Spain’s Paula Badosa claimed her maiden WTA title on Saturday in Belgrade after opponent Ana Konjuh’s injury curse returned and forced her retirement from the final.
Fourth seed Badosa, ranked at 44 in the world, was leading 6-2, 2-0 when her Croatian opponent called it quits.
Badosa, whose clay court season has seen her notch up a win over world number one Ashleigh Barty in Charleston, has now won 13 of her last 15 matches on tour.
She is projected to make her top 40 debut on Monday.
For 2016 US Open quarter-finalist Konjuh, it was another tale of heartbreak.
Now ranked 188 in the world, former top 20 player Konjuh has undergone four surgeries on her right elbow.
She even fell out of the top 1,000 in 2019.
Earlier Saturday, she played her first semi-final in four years and defeated Maria Camila Osorio of Colombia 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4).
Badosa had swept past Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria 6-1, 6-2 after both semi-finals were held over from Friday due to rain.