World number 122 Pauline Parmentier from France battled past Slovenia’s Polona Hercog 6-4 3-6 6-3 after 2 hours and 13 minutes to clinch her third WTA career title and the first since 2008 at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup trophy.
Hercog beat Parmentier in their only previous head-to-head match in Bogotà in 2011. The French player qualified for her first final in a decade after beating Irina Camelia Begu 6-3 6-4 in the semifinal on Saturday.
Parmentier converted seven of her eleven break points and hit seven winner to 27 unforced errors. Hercog got six breaks from her eleven opportunities and produced 26 winners to 34 unforced errors.
After holding in their first service games there were five consecutive breaks in the opening set. Parmentier held serve at love in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. Hercog hit a forehand winner to hold in the next game. Parmentier held in the 10th game to seal the first set 6-4.
The French player converted her third break point in the third game of the second set to take a 2-1 lead and held on her service game for 3-1, but Hercog earned three break points with a crosscourt winner and broke serve to draw level to 3-3. The Slovenian player got another break to open up a 5-3 lead with two consecutive forehand winners. Hercog wasted a 40-0 serving for the second set, but she earned a fourth set point at deuce after Parmentier made a forehand unforced error. Hercog clinched her chance, as Parmentier fired a forehand wide.
Hercog continued her momenntum scoring the first break of the third set to take a 2-1. Parmentier broke straight back to draw level to 2-2. The French player earned another break for 4-2. Hercog broke back at 4-3, but Parmentier broke again to open up a 5-3 lead, but had to save a break point in the final game. Parmentier sealed the title after three errors from Hercog.
Before today’s final Parmentier had won just titles in her career in Tashkent in 2007 and Bad Gastein in 2008. The French player is projected to return to the top 100 next Monday.
