The American tennis player Ashlyn Krueger triumphed over China’s Zhu Lin in the final of the Japan Open 2023, winning his first WTA title. The 19-year-old, ranked 123 in the world, won 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) over her top-seeded opponent in the WTA 250 tournament in Osaka.
Was the culmination of an exceptional week for Krueger, who reached the final without losing a set. The underdog Texan was playing in the first final of her career and only her eleventh tournament on the WTA circuit.
Lin, meanwhile, is ranked 35th in the world and was seeking the second WTA title of her career, having beaten Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko in the Thailand Open final in February.
Lin, who defeated Victoria Azarenka at the US Open last month, was the favorite to reach the final but was hampered by the American’s power, who hit seven aces.
In the first challenge between the two, Krueger quickly dominated the first set, winning 6-3 in 36 minutes with a break on Lin’s first service game. The second set was more competitive, with Lin taking the lead early. But Krueger managed to force a tiebreak, which she won to seal the final in one hour and 36 minutes.