Elina Svitolina scores second title in Strasbourg defeating Anna Blinkova in straight sets

Elina Svitolina was crowned champion for the second time at the Internationaux de Strasbourg

Elina Svitolina returned to the tournament to become champion again at the Inernationaux de Strasbourg Saturday. The 28-year-old held back Anna Blinkova in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 on Court Patrice Dominguez at the Tennis Club de Strasbourg. Svitolina became the first player since Samantha Stosur to win it twice and the fifth wildcard to claim the title.

The two met for the first time in the final, with the Ukrainian going for her second title in the French city. Svitolina battled through the tournament, coming back from 1-4 in the final set to defeat Clara Burel. Aside from two strong victories and a pass before the semifinal, the 28-year-old struggled to find her footing since returning from maternity. A title win would be the first since 2021 and become the fifth wildcard since Angelique Kerber to win it all.

Blinkova punched her ticket in the title match defeating Lauren Davis in straight sets. It was her eighth consecutive set won, hoping to keep the streak alive against Svitolina. Her success on the clay courts was the best outside hard court action. A second title victory would spell better times moving forward if she could get the best of the former world number three.

Svitolina made her push against the 24-year-old, taking the last three points of the opening game for the break. She had a tough service but was forced to deuce where she stopped a breakpoint, taking it on the second. Preventing Blinkova from getting into the set, Svitolina was rewarded with a break to love of the world number 66. The 28-year-old ran into more trouble on serve, suffering two double faults in the fourth. She battled back from 0-40 down, saving two breaks but missed her chance to force deuce.

With the break in hand, Blinkova sealed a winning streak into place, holding serve in the fifth. Sitting a game down, the 24-year-old watched her opponent serve to love and top off the seventh with another break to love. She served for the set at 5-2, feeling strong to gain two set points in the eighth. Blinkova saved one at the net and a second to force deuce. Svitolina played well for the AD point, clinching her third attempt with a perfect ace to complete the first in 33 minutes.

Svitolina performed better than her opponent in the late stages of the set, where she posted 12 winners and five unforced errors. The streak of breakpoints won was perfect for the 28-year-old, who outscored Blinkova 31-17. The 24-year-old served to open the second but found herself trailing. She forced deuce and saved three breakpoints, but the victory went to Svitolina.

The Ukrainian ran into a challenge in the second, which became the longest game of the match. The two went to deuce, where they played 12 breaks and 30 points. In the end, Svitolina made it 2-0 on an error from her opponent and pushed hard against Blinkova. She suffered another break of serve against the Ukrainian, who was on top of her game and halfway from the title after three games.

Blinkova got on the board with a break of Svitolina in the fourth, only to watch the Ukrainian break back. The 24-year-old added a second break and held serve in the seventh to sit a game down. Svitolina denied her the chance to even the score and held serve in the eighth to play for a chance at the championship. 

She jumped ahead on the score to bring up championship points but missed her return shot. Her second attempt landed long of the baseline near Blinkova, sending the two to deuce. Svitolina brought up a third but sliced it wide on the return to the 24-year-old. She was gifted a fourth that came on a wide return by Blinkova, ending the match in 1 hour and 33 minutes.