Rus defeats German teenager Noha Akugue in Hamburg European Open final for 1st WTA title
Netherlands' Arantxa Rus holds the winner's trophy after beating Germany's Noma Noha Akugue, during the Women's single final tennis match of the Hamburg European Open WTA Tournament, at the Rothenbaum Tennis Stadium, in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, July 29, 2023. Credit: AP/Frank Molter
HAMBURG, Germany — Experienced Dutch player Arantxa Rus defeated German teenager Noma Noha Akugue 6-0, 7-6 (3) in the final of the Hamburg European Open on Saturday for her first WTA tour title.
It was the first final for both players. The 19-year-old Noha Akugue was making her WTA tournament debut as a wild card in her hometown, while the 32-year-old Rus was the oldest first-time WTA finalist since 34-year-old Tzipora Obziler in Guangzhou, China, in 2007.
“I think today, I didn't have too much support, but it was a very good atmosphere,” said Rus, who dedicated the trophy to her father.
Rus coped better with the pressure early on as Noha Akugue’s play was marred by a slew of unforced errors. Altogether the teenager had 46 unforced errors, compared to 23 from her opponent.
The 207th-ranked Noha Akugue improved drastically in the second set and saved two match points to excite the crowd. But Rus dug in to wrap up the result in 1 hour, 45 minutes in the tiebreaker
“I hope I can come back next year and maybe win the tournament,” Noha Akugue said.
Alexander Zverev will play Laslo Djere in the men’s final on Sunday. The fourth-seeded Zverev defeated Arthur Fils of France 6-2, 6-4 and Djere beat Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 6-2 in their semifinal matches.
Netherlands' Arantxa Rus returns a shot to Germany's Noma Noha Akugue, during the Women's single final tennis match of the Hamburg European Open WTA Tournament, at the Rothenbaum Tennis Stadium, in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, July 29, 2023. Credit: AP/Frank Molter
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