Radwanska limbers up for US Open with Connecticut title
The Pole, who received a wild card into the tournament, defeated Elina Svitolina in straight sets ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year.
Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska defeated Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-6 in the final of the Connecticut Open in New Haven on Saturday as a warm-up for her challenge at the US Open, where she has never been beyond the fourth round.
Radwanska accepted a wild card into the event because she wanted to tune up for the final Grand Slam of the year, which starts on Monday, and the 27-year-old Pole will head to Flushing Meadows brimming with confidence after collecting her 19th career WTA title.
"Thanks for the wild card"
"Thank you so much... for giving me that wild card," Radwanska laughed during her winner's speech. "I definitely appreciate it and I'll be back next year for sure."
Radwanska rattled through the first set in less than 30 minutes as the 21-year-old Svitolina struggled on serve.
The Ukrainian 10th seed raised her game in the second with some powerful, precise groundstrokes and had three set points to level the match but was unable to convert, before being overrun in the tiebreak.
Potential Serena semi-final at Flushing Meadows
Radwanska, the fourth seed at the US Open, faces American Jessica Pegula in the first round at Flushing Meadows, with a potential semi-final encounter against top seed Serena Williams.