World number four Nadia Petrova battled back from a set down to beat French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in a thrilling German Open final in Berlin on Sunday.
The powerful Muscovite dug deep in the deciding set to shrug off two niggling injuries and gained revenge for her defeat by the feisty Belgian in last year's final on the clay at the Steffi Graf stadium.
The 23-year-old Petrova went into the final with a 14-match winning streak in WTA tour matches on clay but had never beaten Henin-Hardenne on the surface in four previous attempts.
"The decisive thing was my fighting spirit," Petrova said. "I don't think I made the best start today but I really put my heart into this match."
"She's one of the most mentally tough opponents and she never gives up. She always puts pressure on you no matter what stage of the match."
Henin-Hardenne, also 23, had looked in blistering form in the semi-finals where she humbled world number one Amelie Mauresmo, and she made the better start in overcast conditions punctuated by the occasional burst of sunshine.
"I never really felt 100 percent on the court and I didn't do the right things all the time and that's why I lost today," the four-time Grand Slam winner said.
"Sometimes it's harder than other days to do what you have to do. I could have done better but it's not every day you can play well like I did yesterday."
MEDICAL TIME-OUTS
Petrova briefly left the court after the first set for treatment on a groin strain and reappeared with strapping on her thigh, but did not seem to be hindered in her movement on her return to action.
The tall Russian called for the doctor again after winning the second set and took a second medical time-out with a pectoral muscle problem that was interfering with her serve.
She shrugged off the distraction to close out the match when Henin-Hardenne went wide on a forehand in the 12th game of the deciding set.
"No matter that those things happened I still was trying and working my way into the match and hanging in there as long as I could and it was just amazing to win it in that way," Petrova said.
Henin-Hardenne, a three-times winner in Berlin, said Petrova had proved she is one of the world's top performers on clay.
"I knew she was going to be very offensive and that's what she did and that's why she won."
