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Belinda Bencic claimed her inaugural Abu Dhabi Open title after saving three championship points in her win over Liudmila Samsonova.
Second seed Bencic went into Sunday’s final without losing a set, but she trailed Samsonova and was on the verge of losing 6-4 in the second-set tie-break.
However, the Swiss dug deep to take the match to a decider, winning her eighth career WTA title with a 1-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 victory in two hours and 48 minutes.
World number nine Bencic also won the Adelaide International 2 in January but got off to a slow start against an opponent she has failed to beat in three matches.
Samsonova broke Bencic with a dominant start in the opening second-and-six as she looks to take a 5-0 lead in the WTA Tour Championship.
Bencic improved in the second set, though every break meant the game was over.
Eighth-seeded Samsonova’s straight-set win with a 6-4 lead looked worthwhile, only for Bencic to salvage two championship points, also 8-7.
The 25-year-old scored three straight points to tie the game and won the match with several breaks of serve in the decider.
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