Linda Noskova is into the world’s top ten for the first time as she won the title in Berlin.
It was Noskova’s second title as she took the title in Germany, defeating Jessica Pegula 6-4 4-6 6-3 in the final.
The 21 year-old improved her record in finals to 2-5 as she stunned Pegula to win the title in Berlin.
It caps off an incredible last year for Noskova who is now into the top ten for the first time and is the second player this season to make their top ten debut after Victoria Mboko did it in February.
After her title win Noskova admitted she didn’t expect it and is relieved to have got past a stern test against Pegula, “I definitely was not expecting this,” Noskova told the WTA website.
“Before coming to a tournament, you never really know what you can count on or how the tournament is going to go, especially when it’s the very first one on grass this season. So I’m really happy to get off to a brilliant start. I was feeling my game for the whole week, so I couldn’t be happier.
“Jess, she’s a very tricky player. She never gives up. She has a really good game for grass, so I obviously had to account for that fact, that it wasn’t going to be easy at all. I will not give her the win, and she will not give me the win either. It was going to be one of those really tough matches that we always play.
“I’m very relieved I made it through this one.”
It was a good week for Pegula who defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka on her way to the final but couldn’t win a grass court title in Germany for the second consecutive year.
As for Noskova she will enter Wimbledon as a top ten player and joined Marie Bouzkova in the winners circle after she defeated Emma Navarro in a three hour epic to win the Nottingham title.
