World No.75 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic won her first WTA title with a 4-6 6-1 6-0 victory over Marina Erakovic of New Zealand in the Bell Challenge final, in Quebec City. Strycova was once runner-up, last year at Prague, while Erakovic played her first final.

Sixth-seeded Zahlavova Strycova dropped serve in the beginning of the match and even though she soon broke back, in the ninth game Erakovic broke her again and held to win the first set. Zahlavova-Strycova then rushed to victory, winning 12 of the last 13 games.

En route to the $220,000 Bell Challenge title and a prize of $37,000, Zahlavova-Strycova defeated Zhang Shuai in the first round, Mirjana Lucic in the second, Andrea Hlavackova in the quarterfinals, Michaella Krajicek in the semis, and finally Erakovic, who had upset the tournament's top seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 6-4 in quarters. (source: AFP, photo: © Neal Trousdale)

Qualifier Tamira Paszek defeated Bethanie Mattek Sands in the final of the Bell Challenge in Quebec City to win her second Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title and her first one since Portoroz in 2006.

The 19-year-old Paszek, who reached her career-high of No.35 in July 2007 (the year she played the fourth round of both Wimbledon and US Open), advanced to the Bell Challenge final without losing a set. Against Mattek Sands she saved two set points in the first set and overcame a 3-1 deficit in the third set to win 7-6(6) 2-6 7-5. The Bell Challenge is the tournament where Mattek Sands played her first final in 2008, and lost it in another three-setter to Nadia Petrova.

The victory returned Paszek to the Top 100, from No.151 to No.92. (source: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

Hungarian Melinda Czink defeated Czech Lucie Safarova 4-6 6-3 7-5 in the all-lefty Bell Challenge final to claim her maiden title on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

The world No.52 Czink, ranked two places below her opponent, was playing her second career singles final. In her first, at Canberra in January 2005, she lost to Ana Ivanovic. Safarova, on the other hand, was playing her seventh final, and after today’s loss she is 4-3 in career finals.

Winning the tournament, the 26-year-old Czink has collected $37,000. (photo courtesy of Women Who Serve)

Defending champion Nadia Petrova had to retire from her quarterfinal match at the Bell Challenge due to a viral illness.

The top-seeded Petrova was playing against fifth seed Melinda Czink, and retired after losing the first set tiebreak.

The Hungarian will play home hope Aleksandra Wozniak, seeded third, for a place in Sunday's final. (source: Sky Sports, photo courtesy of Women Who Serve)

Russian top seed Nadia Petrova fought back from a set and a break down to get past Bethanie Mattek 4-6 6-4 6-1 in the final of the Bell Challenge in Quebec City, Canada.

American world No.43 Mattek, probably most famous for her fashion sense, failed to win her first WTA title in her premier appearance in a WTA final. World No.11 Petrova, on the other hand, clinched her ninth career title and her second this season after winning in Cincinnati in August.

The Bell Challenge was the last tournament on the regular WTA schedule. The tennis season ends next week with the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha where the top eight players of the year will compete for a share of the prize money of $4,550,000.

The Bell Challenge title is Davenport’s 53rd, which puts her in the eighth place on the all-time singles title list, where she is tied with Monica Seles. Davenport is projected to break back into the Top 80 with her win at Quebec City.

Davenport’s comeback is fascinating, but she is aware of the fact that beating Henin or one of the Williams sisters will be a huge challenge. Still, who knows, she did beat a top player since the comeback. To win the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic, the 31-year-old American overcame both Jelena Jankovic and Daniela Hantuchova. (source: BBC)

Former world number one Lindsay Davenport advanced to the Bell Challenge final Saturday with a 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-3 win over second-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia. In the title match Davenport will face third-seeded Julia Vakulenko of Ukraine, who overcame an injured right ankle to beat American qualifier Julie Ditty 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.

Davenport is playing in her third singles tournament since the birth of her son Jagger in June, and is already seeking her second title since the comeback. Sounds impressive. (photos via Bell Challenge)