Guo Hanyu and Alexandra Panova Rally to Win Bad Homburg Doubles Crown
In a thrilling showdown at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany on Saturday, Guo Hanyu of China and Alexandra Panova of Russia staged a remarkable comeback to clinch the women’s doubles title. The duo triumphed over the second-seeded pair Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and Ellen Perez of Australia with a score of 4-6, 7-6(4), 10-5.
Kichenok and Perez came out strong, taking the first set 6-4 and appearing poised to secure the championship. However, Guo and Panova refused to back down. Facing match point in the tenth game of the second set, they broke serve to force a tiebreaker. Riding newfound momentum, the China-Russia pair dominated the tiebreak to level the match.
In the decisive match tiebreak, Guo and Panova capitalized on their opponents’ errors and maintained aggressive play to seal the victory with a 10-5 scoreline. The win marks Guo Hanyu’s fifth Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) doubles title and her first on grass courts.
“It’s an incredible feeling to win here,” Guo expressed after the match. “We fought hard and believed in ourselves, and it paid off.”
Pegula Upsets Swiatek to Claim Singles Title Ahead of Wimbledon
In the women’s singles final, World No. 3 Jessica Pegula of the United States defeated five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek of Poland 6-4, 7-5. Pegula’s victory extends Swiatek’s title drought, which dates back to last year’s French Open.
Pegula secured her third championship of the year—adding to her wins in Austin, Texas, and Charleston, South Carolina—bringing her career total to nine titles. The American displayed exceptional form, saving the only break point she faced and converting two crucial breaks against Swiatek.
“Playing against Iga is always a challenge,” Pegula said. “I focused on my game plan and stayed aggressive. I’m thrilled with this win heading into Wimbledon.”
Despite serving nine aces, Swiatek struggled to maintain consistency. The former World No. 1 remains optimistic about her grass-court prospects. “This tournament shows there’s hope for me on grass,” she noted. “I’m happy with my progress and excited for what’s ahead.”
Maya Joint Saves Match Points to Win Eastbourne Open
Meanwhile, on England’s south coast, 19-year-old Australian star Maya Joint saved four match points to triumph over Filipina qualifier Alexandra Eala 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(10) in the Eastbourne Open final. In a nail-biting third-set tiebreak, Joint demonstrated remarkable resilience to capture her first WTA title.
“I just kept telling myself to fight for every point,” Joint reflected. “Winning this title means everything to me, especially after such a tough match.”
Joint’s victory sets an exciting tone as she prepares for her debut at Wimbledon, with fans eagerly anticipating her performance on tennis’s biggest stage.
