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Flavia Pennetta claimed her first title of the year when she fought off a stiff challenge from Carla Suarez Navarro to beat the Spaniard 6-2 4-6 6-3 in the final of the Andalucia Open on Sunday.
The Italian second seed, the losing finalist in Auckland in January, had not dropped a set all week on the clay in Marbella but Suarez Navarro made good use of her booming backhand to level the match at one set all.
Both players struggled to hold serve in the decider before Pennetta, 28, dashed the 21-year-old eighth seed's hopes of making amends for her defeat to Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in last year's title match.
Suarez Navarro saved one match point at 30-40 down on her serve but world number 16 Pennetta sealed victory two points later and punched the air in delight before embracing her opponent at the net.
(Writing by Iain Rogers in Madrid, editing by John Mehaffey; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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