Svetlana Kuznetsova has fended off four match points en route to victory win over Donna Vekic in the WTA's Citi Open final.
It took a remarkable comeback by the 2014 champion to win 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 and claim an 11th consecutive match in the US capital for her 18th career title.
"There's something going on in Washington," Kuznetsova said. "I've been here two times and I've never lost."
Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open and 2009 French Open champion, was once ranked as high as second in the world but has fallen to No.128 after injuries and undergoing wrist surgery last November, making her the lowest-ranked player to win the tournament.
She is projected to be back in the top 100 at No.87 when the updated rankings are released on Monday.
The Russian's previous WTA title came at the Kremlin Cup in 2016 and she looked set to miss out on adding another Washington crown to her resume when she miscued a backhand into the net to give Vekic a third match point at 6-5 in the second-set tiebreaker.
Kuznetsova crushed a forehand return winner to level at 6-6 but a Vekic forehand set up a fourth match point at 7-6, only for the Croat to hit a forehand wide on the next point.
That saw the tide turn as Kuznetsova's defence brought out errors from seventh-seeded Vekic and the Russian took the next two points to win the tiebreak 9-7.
Kuznetsova then swept to a 5-0 lead in the deciding set with her eighth ace of the match and she claimed victory when Vekic hit a forehand wide.
"Sorry I didn't win today," Vekic, a two-times WTA title winner, said.
"Tennis is not an easy game but I love this sport and hopefully I can be in a few more finals and win some more finals."
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