Wozniacki claims title

MONTREAL: Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki easily beat Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2 on Monday in the final of the rain-hit WTA Rogers Cup, one of the last tune-up events for the U.S. Open.

Wozniacki, ranked second in the world, earned $350,000 for her third title of 2010. She also won at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and in her home city of Copenhagen. She is seeking her first Grand Slam title.

“It was tough for all of us waiting out the rain for two days,” said Zvonareva, a Wimbledon finalist.

Leading 5-3 in the first set, Wozniacki was down 0-40. But she then won five consecutive points to close the set.

After breaking serve for a 5-2 lead in the second, Wozniacki clinched it with four consecutive points on her serve, executed a fist pump and then shook hands at the net with her opponent.

Rallying to win

Meanwhile at Pilot Pen tournament in New Haven (Connecticut), Russian Nadia Petrova rallied after being down one set and 5-2 in the second to beat American Varvara Lepchenko 1-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the opening round.

Petrova was a late addition to the field on Monday after an ankle injury forced former world No.1 Ana Ivanovic to withdraw.

“It's been actually, an amazing opportunity, because I feel like I need a few matches before the US Open,” she said of the final tune-up tournament for the U.S. Open.

Russia's Elena Dementieva almost missed the start of her first-round match and had to be tracked down on the practice courts.

She then went out and routed Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in straight sets 6-1, 6-2.

“Yesterday, we were waiting more than 10 hours, practising indoors, expecting to be playing today indoors,” she said. “I feel lucky to be second on and finish the match.”

In the men's draw, former champion James Blake breezed past Pere Riba of Spain 6-0, 6-1 in just 35 minutes. That is the fastest match on the men's tour this season.

“I tend to always play fast,” Blake said. “The wins end up being a lot quicker; the losses end up being quicker too.”

Important results:

At Montreal (Rogers Cup): Final: Caroline Wozniacki bt Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2.

At New Haven (WTA & ATP Pilot Pen Open): Men: First round: Benjamin Becker bt Marco Chiudinelli 7-6(3), 6-3; Igor Andreev bt Arnaud Clement 7-6(2), 6-3; Peter Luczak bt Leonardo Mayer 6-3, 7-6(4); James Blake bt Pere Riba 6-0, 6-1; Radek Stepanek bt Pablo Cuevas 6-0, 6-4; Jarkko Nieminen bt Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-4; Lukas Lacko bt Florent Serra 6-1, 7-6(6); Teimuraz Gabashvili bt Potito Starace 7-6(3), 7-5.

Women: First round: Dominika Cibulkova bt Melanie Oudin 6-2, 5-7, 6-4; Elena Dementieva bt Maria Jose Martinez 6-1, 6-2; Nadia Petrova bt Varvara Lepchenko 1-6, 7-5, 6-1; Kateryna Bondarenko bt Petra Kvitova 7-5, 6-3; Sara Errani bt Jie Zheng 6-1, 6-2; Daniela Hantuchova bt Kaia Kanepi 7-5, 6-3. — Agencies .