Bartoli beats Kvitova for Eastbourne title

Jun 18, 2011, 17:24 GMT

Eastbourne, England - Marion Bartoli over came a medical timeout and survived swirling winds to win the sixth title of her career with a defeat of Petra Kvitova 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 in the final of the Eastborne grass-court event Saturday.

'It was an entertaining match even if I had the lead the second set, I could close it out, but Petra start to play very well,' said Bartoli. 'She was hitting the ball very hard and very deep.

'All the credit to her for coming back. At the end it was just fighting and trying to find a way to win.'

The men's event produced a shock ending with Serb Janko Tipsarevic quitting prior to what could have been the final game after a slip on the grass after a brief rain interruption.

Italy's Andreas Seppi earned the first title of his career as light faded, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 5-3.

With Friday play rained out, it was double-up day at Devonshire park as both semi-finals and finals were played.

Bartoli, the 2007 Wimbledon finalist, won the first grass trophy of her career and sixth overall as she won in just under two and a half hours, leaving the court early in the third set but returning after treatment on a hamstring.

The French sixth seed swept the first set, but was overwhelmed in the second as Czech Kvitova rebounded after going down a break. Bartoli recovered in the third, breaking for 4-3 on two double-faults from her opponent.

But the 2007 Wimbledon finalist missed as she tried to serve for the title leading 5-4 and had to break back a game later and finally hold to lift the honours.

'Of course it was difficult,' Bartoli said of the windy contest at the seacoast venue. 'But it's the same for both players. I try not to complain too much about the conditions, because otherwise I can't focus on my game.

'There is nothing I can do about them, I just have to deal with them.'

In the earlier semi-finals, Bartoli beat Australian seventh seed Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-1 while Kvitova advanced when opponent Daniela Hantuchova retired with an abdominal strain trailing 7-6 (11-9), 4-2.

'It happened at 3-0 in the first set. I was running for a wide backhand and felt a sharp pain and just was getting worse and worse from then,' said the Slovak.

'I have to hope for some magic and get as much treatment as I can. As soon as I get to Wimbledon I will try to work with the physios and try to do something to be able to be ready for Monday.'

In men's play at the ATP/WTA Wimbledon tune-up, Tipsarevic defeated Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-4 while finals opponent Seppi beat Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

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