Shnaider claims first WTA trophy on grass at Bad Homburg

BAD HOMBURG, Germany: Russia’s Diana Shnaider won her first WTA grass-court title at Bad Homburg on Saturday rallying to beat Croatia´s Donna Vekic in three sets.

The 20-year-old won 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 in the Wimbledon warm-up tournament to capture her second career title.

Shnaider´s win is a boost ahead of the only Grand Slam on grass, starting Monday, where she faces 42nd-ranked Czech Karolina Pliskova.

“It was an amazing week for me. I managed to play one of the best weeks of my life, so I hope I will just keep going like this,” said Shnaider, who won her first tour-level WTA title in Hua Hin in Thailand in February.

The 47th-ranked player denied Vekic nine break points in the first set, before the Croatian recovered in the second set.

Shnaider made the decisive break in the seventh game of the final set, and sealed the victory after just over two hours on court.