Vera Zvonareva didn't manage to clinch the ITF W100 doubles title either after she and her doubles partner Rada Zolotareva missed out on a big lead and a golden chance to beat Gao Xinyu and Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the final.
Zvonareva and Zolotareva, who entered the Dubai doubles field as alternates, blew an early first-set break, but broke their rivals once again in the fifth game for a 3-2 lead. The Russian then held on to her serve for the rest of the first set to clinch the first set with a 6-4 scoreline.
After taking the opener, Zvonareva and Zolotareva made a slow start to the second set - trailed 1-4 after the opening five games - but then clinched back-to-back breaks to overturn the deficit and open a 5-4 lead. With a chance to serve out for the title, the Russian pair failed to get it done before losing their serve once again in the 12th game and ultimately dropping the second set.
ADVERTISEMENT
Through the opening 10 points of the match tie-break, the two pairs were leveled to five points apiece. Then, Gao and Sawangkaew went on a key four-point run to go 9-5 up and clinch four consecutive championship points. The Russian team managed to save the first two championship points, but couldn't do the same on the third as Gao and Sawangkaew completed a 4-6 7-5 10-7 win.
Zvonara fell short in the Dubai singles final earlier today
Before losing the doubles final with Zolotareva, Zvonareva was ousted 3-6 3-6 by Petra Marcinko in the ITF Dubai singles final.
Had the former world No. 2 defeated Marcinko, she would have won her first singles title since making it all the way at the 2017 Sharm El Sheikh.
Although Zvonareva ended on the losing side in both Dubai singles and doubles finals, it was still a very impressive week, considering that the 41-year-old was playing her first tournament in 18 months.
