Star Metro - Alexandrova defeats Kudermetova and rain to defend Dutch title

Alexandrova, seeded fourth, dropped the first set and conceded her first service game in the second before her fightback saw her win 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).

Top seed Kudermetova also lost last year in the semi-finals of the grass-court tournament in the Netherlands to Alexandrova who lifted the fourth title of her career after two hours 52 minutes of play.

The final had also been delayed for an hour with the players running for cover twice more during the match.

Kudermetova raced to an early 4-2 lead before the match was stopped for an hour rain delay. She came back to wrap up the set and earned a break at 6-4, 3-2.

But an Alexandrova backhand return down the line for 3-3 rekindled her hopes. After another shorter rain delay at 5-4 Alexandrova came back on court and broke again to force a third set.

Alexandrova held one championship point at 5-4 and two more championship at 6-5, but Kudermetova's serve pulled her through to the decisive tiebreak.

Alexandrova took control earning three more championship points at 6-3 with a Kudermetova backhand into the net sealing the victory.

Kudermetova, ranked 14, had been bidding for her first singles title since she won her maiden crown at Charleston just over two years ago.

Alexandrova, ranked 26, follows her title in South Korea last September, having also won her first title at the Shenzhen Open, China in 2020.

A.Harris--SMC