Anna Fitzpatrick won in straight sets but it took two hours 38 minutes
Former Woodhouse Grove pupil Anna Fitzpatrick has made a great start to 2012.
The 22-year-old won the first AEGON British Tour event of the year at Billesley Tennis Centre.
The women’s final only lasted two sets but was a 2hr 38min marathon as top seed Fitzpatrick defeated Stephanie Cornish 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6).
Fitzpatrick, ranked 460 in the world, captured the first set on a tie-break and held a match point at 5-2, 5-3 and 5-4 in the second set.
However, fifth seed Cornish, staged a gritty comeback to hold a set point of her own in the second set tie-break before Fitzpatrick took it on her fourth match point.
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