Los Angeles, Nov 06: American Chanda Rubin opened the USD 3 million WTA tour championships with a three-set victory over France's Amelie Mauresmo. Rubin, the world no. 10 who made it into the elite, eight-player season finale only after Venus Williams officially withdrew, needed 2hr 7min to post a 4-6 6-4 6-2 victory over Mauresmo, the world no. 6.


After giving up the lone break of serve in the opening set, Rubin was immediately on the defensive after dropping her serve in the first game of the second.

But she broke back in the fourth to knot the set at 2-2, and took a 5-3 lead with a break in the eighth game. Mauresmo made Rubin work for it, however, saving five set points in a marathon ninth game en route to earning the break and narrowing the gap to 5-4.

The Frenchwoman couldn't hold on however, as Rubin broke her in the next game to force the third set.


In the decisve set, Rubin gained the upper hand with a break to lead 3-1. The closest Mauresmo came to breaking back was in the next game, when Rubin fought back from 0-30 to hold.

"I think she was playing better and better as the match went on," Mauresmo said. "With me, I was starting to get a little tired." Mauresmo, who captured the title at the indoor event in Philadelphia on Sunday, said she felt a little flat in the final set. Bureau Report