"Couldn't be happier for you"; "So proud of you friend" - Belinda Bencic and Rennae Stubbs rejoice at Donna Vekic clinching Monterrey Open title
Donna Vekic defeated Caroline Garcia in the Monterrey Open final to clinch her fourth WTA title. Belinda Bencic and Rennae Stubbs were quick to voice their admiration for the Croatian's victory.
Following her quarterfinals finish at both the 2023 Australian Open and the Linz Open, Donna Vekic reached her first final of the season at the Abierto GNP Seguros in Monterrey. She faced World No. 5 Caroline Garcia in the final, who she defeated 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to net her first win against a top 10 player this season.
With her victory, Vekic clinched her first WTA title since 2021 and will rise to World No. 24 in the rankings.
Belinda Bencic shared her appreciation for the Croatian's victory.
"Couldn't be happier for you. So deserved," Bencic wrote.
Former player and commentator Rennae Stubbs congratulated Donna Vekic on her victory and praised her resilience on her comeback from injury issues in the past.
"An amazing comeback from all her injuries! So proud of you friend!," Stbbs wrote.
HUGE congrats @DonnaVekic !!! An amazing comeback from all her injuries! So proud of you friend! ❤️
Victoria Azarenka also shared her appreciation for the 26-year-old's win.
Donna ❤️ twitter.com/wta/status/163…
Donna Vekic expressed her happiness at winning the Monterrey Open title
Donna Vekic defeated top seed Caroline Garcia to win the title in Monterrey. In the post-match interview, Vekic described the match as "crazy" and acknowledged Garcia's strong performance. She said she was focused on winning as many points as possible and was pleased with the victory despite the difficulty of the match.
"It was a crazy match until the end, [Garcia] was playing so well, playing so deep. I was trying to win as many points as I could. It was not easy, but I’m really happy to win," Vekic said.
Vekic reflected on her successful start to the year and expressed confidence in her abilities, stating that if she hadn't won the title in Monterrey, she believed it would have come soon. She acknowledged the hard work she has put in to play well and hoped to maintain her health and form to continue achieving good results.
"It’s been a great start of the year for me. If the title didn’t come now, I believe that it would have come soon. So I’ve been playing good tennis, and I just need to keep working hard and hopefully stay healthy, and I’m sure I will keep having good results," she added.
Donna Vekic currently holds a 14-2 record for the 2023 season, and is only one win shy of season leaders Belinda Bencic and Carloine Garcia.