On Saturday in France, in the final of the Internationaux de Strasbourg, the 2012 tourney finalist (and champion at Bad Gastein), 23 year old 3rd seeded #30 (career high: #11) Alizé Cornet from Nice, France, defeated the 2009 Strasbourg finalist, 28 year old #113 (career high: #48) Lucie Hradecka from Prague, Czech Republic, 7-6(4), 6-0 (Alize is shown hoisting the hardware after the match).     Alize's prize is $40,000; Lucie's prize is $20,000.     Alize said: "It was a very tight first set. We were both serving very well and we didn't break each other much. In the tie-break it came down to just one or two points, and then in the second set it went way faster because everything [Lucie] had been putting on the lines in the beginning started to go out. And I'm happy I was able to win the second set 6-0, because I was starting to get very nervous!     "I feel great right now, winning this title at home. It's the accomplishment of a lot of work." WTA story     Lucie, who has yet to win a WTA singles title, double faulted while serving at 4-5 in the tiebreaker. Lucie said: "Everything just turned around from there. In the first [Alize] she wasn't making any mistakes and I came so close, but from there she started playing even better. And it was already tough in the first set.     "I wasn't thinking about any of my other finals. I was really trying my best out there. But she's a very, very good player, and I'm still happy I got five matches this week going into Roland Garros."

    Alize and Lucie had met only once before, in 2010 on a Deco-Turf hardcourt in the 3rd round at Montreal, when Lucie defeated Alize 6-4, 7-5.

    Alize is now 3-3 in WTA singles finals, and has a 18-12 match record in 2013. Lucie is now 0-6 in WTA singles finals, and has a 9-11 match record this year.

    Meanwhile in in Belgium, in the final of the Brussels Ladies Open, the 2012 champion at Estoril and Brisbane, 27 year old #40 (career high: #16) Kaia Kanepi from Haapsalu, Estonia, defeated the 2011 Brussels finalist, 27 year old 8th seeded #38 (career high: #14) Shuai Peng from Tian Jin, China, 6-2, 7-5 (Kaia is shown familiarizing herself with the hardware after the match).

    Kaia's prize is $117,000; Shuai's prize is $62,300.

    Kaia said: "It was a difficult second set where I had match point in many games but just couldn't finish it. I was playing really well until 6-2, 5-2, but I've had problems like this before. I just kept trying to pump myself up and not get too negative about losing the situations I had earlier.
    "This makes me feel very happy after such a hard half year when I was out injured. I started playing again on clay, which I really like, and I've been getting my confidence back week after week." WTA story

    Shuai said: "Kaia played really well. Heavy shots and big serves. I tried my best but it was just really hard against her. I thought I could come back at 5-all but she broke me again and held serve. I'm happy I made it to the final again here though. It was a really good week for me."

    Kaia and Shuai had never before met on the field of combat. Kaia is now 4-4 in WTA singles finals, and has a 13-4 match record in 2013. Shuai is now 0-5 in WTA singles finals, and has a 14-10 match record for the season.

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