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Brandi wins Heineken for first WTA victory

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Posted: Saturday June 19, 1999 05:48 PM

Kristina Brandi took control in the third set after Silvija Talaja's serve fell apart. AP

DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (AP) -- American Kristina Brandi won the Heineken Trophy along with $27,000 on Saturday after beating Silvija Talaja of Croatia.

Brandi, No. 57 in the world rankings, clinched her first WTA tournament title by following up on her upset of second-seeded Dominique van Roost of Belgium on Thursday.

Brandi easily claimed the first set 6-0 before Croatian Talaja came back to even it up in what appeared to be a turnaround in the second.

The American eventually claimed the title 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 from the world's No. 52 player, whose poor service may well have cost her the title. Neither of the women had ever played, let alone won, a WTA final.

In the men's semifinals on Saturday, Australia's Patrick Rafter defeated Tommy Haas of Germany and Andrei Pavel of Romania downed Slovak Karol Kucera. Rafter and Pavel will meet on Sunday to battle for the grand prize of $66,400.

 

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