Germany’s Benjamin Becker defeated Dutch wild-card entry Raemon Sluiter 7-5, 6-3 to win the Den Bosch Open final on Saturday.
In the women’s event, Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand had earlier successfully defended her title by defeating 19-year-old Yanina Wickmayer 6-3, 7-5.
Becker, ranked No. 82 in the world, won the title in 115 minutes against an opponent playing in his first tournament since returning to the sport from retirement.
PHOTO: AP
“I want to first congratulate Benny. He was simply the better one today,” crowd favorite Sluiter said.
The 31-year-old also told a packed center court that speculation he might retire again if he lost the tournament was incorrect.
“I don’t have the feeling that I have missed chances this week. I have more the feeling that I took chances,” Sluiter said.
Becker, speaking in his native German, said he would return to defend his title next year, adding that Sluiter had made an unbelievable comeback.
The unseeded Tamarine, who defeated Russian world No. 1 Dinara Safina in the semi-finals, swiftly took the first set in her final before meeting more resistance from Wickmayer, carrying a leg injury, in the second.
The 32-year-old Thai, wearing an orange colored hat, eventually broke Belgian Wickmayer’s serve in the 12th game of the set to take the match.
“I’d like to congratulate Yanina. You played a great a tournament. Definitely, I’m dead at the end,” the world No. 47 told center court after accepting her trophy. “You’re making me run so much and playing so well.”
Wickmayer’s performance could lift the world No. 72 and Belgium’s highest ranked woman toward the top 50, tournament organizers said.
■EASTBOURNE
REUTERS AND AFP, EASTBOURNE, ENGLAND
Russian Dmitry Tursunov became the first men’s champion at the Eastbourne International with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Canadian qualifier Frank Dancevic on Saturday, but suffered an ankle injury that could dent his Wimbledon hopes.
The second-seeded Tursunov underwent surgery to remove bone spurs on his ankle six weeks ago, but said Saturday’s injury, which was treated by the trainer on court near the end of the final, was something new.
“It is a completely different thing, it feels more like a tendon,” said Tursunov, who has been seeded 25th for next week’s Wimbledon and reached the third round last year.
Asked if the injury would prevent him playing at the All England Club, Tursunov said: “I am definitely going to try to come out, unless I am going to be on crutches.”
He added, laughing: “Even then, I will try to come out.”
Dancevic, ranked No. 126 in the world, had beaten top seed Igor Andreev of Russia in the first round and proved a tough opponent for Tursunov on the Devonshire Park grass.
A single break settled the first set and only one game in the second set offered any break points after Dancevic hit two double faults, though he then managed to hold serve.
Tursunov had his ankle taped before the tie-break and gave away one match point when Dancevic pushed him into a forehand error after a long rally, but the Russian took victory on his second match point with a winning return.
Meanwhile, in the women’s final Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki, the sixth seed, had a 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 win over Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano.
Wozniacki, 18, has made it to five finals this year and picks up her second WTA crown after her maiden triumph on clay in Florida.
The opening set saw a break apiece before it was forced to a tie-break, where Wozniacki raced to a 6-1 lead and held off a Razzano fightback to take the set 7-5.
Wozniacki broke in the opening game of the second set and, despite some determined play from her French opponent, she wrapped up the win in 1 hour, 41 minutes.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
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