Veronika Kudermetova def. Jessica Pegula in the Tokyo final

The aggressive Kudermetova didn’t waste much time delivering the potent blows from the backline and broke American Pegula early for a 3-0 lead, but dropped her own serve in the fifth game before allowing her opponent to tie the first set.

An ill-timed double fault from Pegula gave Kudermetova the first set, and the Russian, world number 19, again increased her intensity in the next set when she went ahead 5-1 before closing out the match on her third matchpoint with a great serve.

Review here the main incidences

It was Kudermetova’s second win over Pegula this season – after his quarter-final win in Madrid – and his fifth win in his last six games against top-10 opponents.

The 26-year-old had already overtaken world number two Iga Swiatek at the start of the Tokyo tournament.