No.2 seed Ana Bogdan defeated No.1 seed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 7-5, 6-1 to win the WTA 125 Parma Ladies Open title in Parma, Italy last Saturday.
Bogdan of Romania took 1 hour and 53 minutes to best Schmiedlova of Slovakia and win her second WTA 125 title of the season, and the third of her career. In July, Bogdan successfully defended her WTA 125 Iasi title on home soil.
On a blustery day with showers, World No.71 Bogdan mustered 18 break points against 58th-ranked Schmiedlova, converting six of them to prevail in the clay-court final. With the trophy, Bogdan surpassed her semifinal finish at last year’s WTA 250 event in Parma.
“Last year when I lost [in the semifinals], I said, ‘I want to come back here in this beautiful place, in this beautiful club, and I want to win this tournament,'” Bogdan said after the final. “It’s a great atmosphere, it’s a great club And I love playing in Italy, I love being in Italy, and this time I did it, and I’m very happy.
The win was only Bogdan’s second win in five career meetings with Schmiedlova, but the Romanian has won their last two encounters — both times in Parma. Bogdan got her first win against Schmiedlova in the second round of last year’s edition.
“I don’t remember that,” Bogdan said with a laugh, when he recalled his previous victory in Parma against Schmiedlova. “He’s a tough player, and he has a solid game and he’s really consistent. But now I feel like, ‘I want to do it,’ and I think I put my heart out there for every point.”
On Saturday, Bogdan was broken on two separate occasions early in the first set, but Schmiedlova battled back to 5-5. However, Bogdan went ahead with a break for the third time after blasting a backhand winner to lead 6-5.
Miserbisy for the opening set for the second time, Bogdan held a set lead after 75 minutes. Bogdan cruised home from there, swinging the last six games of the final and completing the match with another backhand winner.
In the doubles finals last Saturday, No.3 seeds Dalila Jakupovic and Irina Khromacheva defeated No.1 seeds Anna Bondar and Kimberley Zimmermann 6-2, 6-3 to win the Parma doubles title.
Jakupovic and Khromacheva were never broken in the 71-minute final, saving all three break points they faced.
The win gave Jakupovic her fourth career WTA 125 doubles title, and her second of the year. She also won the WTA 125 Iasi with Veronika Erjavec in July.
It was the third WTA 125 doubles title of Khromacheva’s career, and her second of the year. She won the WTA 125 Bastad in July paired with Panna Udvardy.