Kirsten Flipkens won Bell Challenge title

Kirsten Flipkens won Bell Challenge title

Kirsten Flipkens became the Bell Challenge 2012 champion after defeating Lucie Hradecka 61 75 in Québec City.

Flipkens had a very bad 2011 season and in 2012 this didn´t get better.

She was only playing WTA qualifying and ITF Women's Circuit events and she even got sick but after more than two months out of the courts she made it to the semifinals of 's-Hertogenbosch.

"I was out for eight weeks with blood clots," Flipkens said. "I had lost the support of the federation and not many people still believed in me. When everything is going well, everyone's your friend. But in hard times you learn who your friends really are. But I knew I could fight back and prove them all wrong."

"I got a lot of confidence out of that week in Rosmalen, beating Stosur and Vinci," she said. "I won two $25,000 tournaments in the summer, too."

Desteny had a very nice surprise for her as she wasn't originally going to play in Québec City.

"I wasn't supposed to come here, but then a few people pulled out and I got into the main draw, so I said hey, I'll go to Québec City. I changed my plans and here I am."

"I played really well and really aggressively in the first set," Flipkens said. "I feel my only advantage in the second set was the break at 5-all - it was a really close match and I was down in a lot of the games I won.

"I have to give credit to Lucie - she came back strong in the second set."

"It's everything at once. Where do I start?" she said. "It's been a rough year for me. All the emotions come out when you win your first WTA title. I was No.260 in June - I didn't even get into the qualies of Wimbledon - and now I have my first WTA title. You can only imagine how I'm feeling now after all of this. This is the best day of my life."

Flipkens has the support of former world number 1 who is very close to her.

"We were on the phone already, yes!" she said. "Of course she's really happy for me. She has always been like a big sister for me. She stuck with me through all of the rough times too.

"It's strange - she retired just last week and now I win my first WTA title!"

"Kirsten has a difficult game for me - a lot of slice, a lot of kick on the serve - she played very well," Hradecka said. "It's tough to lose in a final again, but hopefully I can win my next one."


Source WTA