Second-time lucky for Kasatkina as she wins Eastbourne WTA final

Daria Kasatkina won her first grass-court title by defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 6-4 to win the Eastbourne International on Saturday a year after losing in the final of the WTA Tour event.

Victory saw the sixth-seeded Russian go one better on England's south coast after she was beaten in the 2023 showpiece match at Devonshire Park by Madison Keys – who lost to Fernandez in the semifinals of this year's Wimbledon warm-up event.

In defeating former US Open finalist Fernandez, world number 14 Kasatkina won her seventh career title and first since 2022 following three previous defeats in finals this season for the 27-year-old.

"It's been a year, but it feels like it's been a few days since last year when I was standing here," said Kasatkina, who beat Britain's Emma Raducanu – Fernandez's conqueror in the 2021 US Open final – on her way to Saturday's title match at Eastbourne.

🏆🇬🇧 A Eastbourne Daria #Kasatkina mette in bacheca il 7° titolo in carriera imponendosi su Fernandez con il punteggio di 6-3 6-4.pic.twitter.com/OqVHHkFTpm

— SuperTennis TV (@SuperTennisTv) June 29, 2024