Mihaela Buzarnescu's long road to a WTA title ended in San Jose, California, on Sunday as the Romanian powered past Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-0 in the final of the US Open hardcourt tuneup.
For 30-year-old Buzarnescu, ranked 24th in the world and seeded fifth, it was a reward for perseverance.
Once the top junior in Europe, she endured two knee surgeries and saw her ranking tumble to 891st in the world.
While going through her extensive convalescence, during which she wondered if her left knee would ever mend, Buzarnescu received her Ph.D in sports science. But her tennis dream remained and she has enjoyed a breakthrough 2018, her first title coming in an elite Premier level event.
“It means that no matter all that's passing through your life, if you believe in yourself and don't give up you can make it,” Buzarnescu said.AFP
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