Nastasja Schunk wins the 50th edition of Tennis International – Australians secure the doubles title
The 50th edition of the Tennis International women's tennis tournament at TC Bessungen came to a close on Sunday with a final that will surely remain in the memories of spectators for a long time. For a week, Darmstadt was entirely dedicated to international women's tennis. A total of US$40,000 in prize money and important WTA world ranking points were up for grabs.
Germany's Nastasja Schunk secured the singles title , defeating the favored Spaniard Irene Burillo 5-7, 6-0, 7-6 in a high-class and dramatic final. The match was decided in a match tiebreak, which ended 20-18 , making it one of the longest and most exciting tiebreaks in the history of this prestigious tournament.
Final with eleven match points
The two players battled it out for over three hours in a top-level duel. Burillo led 4-0 in the decisive match tiebreak and earned a total of four match points, but Schunk fought back time and again. The 22-year-old, for her part, squandered several opportunities before converting her eighth match point to secure a celebrated tournament victory.
With her victory, Schunk has made tournament history. After Laura Siegemund and Tamara Korpatsch, she is only the third German winner of the long-standing competition in Bessungen.
Australian doubles team prevails
The doubles final also offered top-class tennis. The top-seeded Australians Gabriella Da Silva Fick and Tenika McGiffin prevailed against Sandra Samir of Egypt and Joelle Lilly Sophie Steur of Germany with a score of 7:5 and 7:6.
Although the favorites lived up to their seedings, the match was much closer than the score suggests. Numerous games were decided only after deuce, and the second set ultimately went to a tiebreak to determine the title. The crowd was particularly enthusiastic about the Egyptian-German duo, who received additional support from the stands after a controversial umpire's decision.
A springboard for tomorrow's tennis stars
With its 50th edition, Tennis International continued its success story. For decades, the tournament has been considered a springboard for future world-class players. Stars such as Steffi Graf, Andrea Petkovic, Laura Siegemund, Karolina Pliskova, Ons Jabeur , and Jule Niemeier graced the courts in Bessungen long before they achieved success on the world's biggest tennis stages.
The anniversary tournament once again demonstrated why the competition enjoys an excellent reputation far beyond the region. Top-class sport, a friendly atmosphere, and numerous volunteers made the event yet another sporting highlight of the Darmstadt summer. And perhaps the saying that has been uttered with a twinkle in Bessungen for years will hold true once again: "Anyone who plays in Bessungen is destined for something."
(RED/TI)
