Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky won his second tournament of the year, beating Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 at Pilot Pen Tennis Championship Saturday. Stakhovsky is unbeaten in four career ATP finals, including a win in Hertogenbosch this year. US Open top seed Caroline Wozniacki won her third consecutive Pilot Pen tennis title Saturday, beating Russian Nadia Petrova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Stakhovsky found himself down early in the men's final, when Istomin broke him in the second game of the first set. But that would be one of just three breaks in the match, and Stakhovsky got the other two, the final one coming in the fifth game of the final set. “He's serving very well,” Stakhovsky said. “It's not his first serve. His second serve, he's placing it very well. He's moving the ball around. It's not easy to guess. I've done a lot of mistakes from his second serve because he was placing the ball differently.” But Istomin was just as baffled with Stakhovsky's serve and had just three break points the entire match. “He's serving good, serve and volley,” he said. “(It was) tough because I was like returning and he finishes the point. I mean, he's playing well today.” Stakhovsky became the first Ukrainian to win two tournaments in the same season since Andrei Medvedev in 1994. Wozniacki confident A month of intense competition that has reaped three titles in three countries has given Caroline Wozniacki the confidence she needs to land her first Grand Slam title at the US Open starting Monday. Wozniacki made the final at Flushing Meadows last year, losing to the more experienced Belgian Kim Clijsters, but believes she is in much better shape this time. “The last two weeks, or actually four weeks, have been great for me. I've been winning a lot of matches so that's definitely something that brings up the confidence,” the Dane told a news conference on Sunday. “I'm feeling really good. It's tough to compare myself to one year ago...but I definitely think that I've improved in many aspects.” The 20-year-old has climbed to number two in the world rankings and has been promoted to top seed for the US Open after the withdrawal of Serena Williams with a foot injury. Wozniacki, who starts against American Chelsey Gullickson, is in great form after a punishing month of tournaments highlighted by winning the Danish Open and back-to-back titles in Montreal and New Haven. “After Wimbledon I had five weeks off where I didn't play anything and just practised, so that was a great feeling for me to get back on the match court and back in the match intensity,” she said. By winning in Montreal on Monday then New Haven on Saturday, Wozniacki ensured she finished the US hardcourt series as the leading pointscorer and if she wins the US Open she will pocket a $1 million cash bonus. A grand slam title is what appeals to her most, though.
