Wickmayer ducks shadow of bigger Belgians to win at Auckland

AUCKLAND - Belgian Yanina Wickmayer Saturday won the ABS Classic title to continue her emergence from the shadow of celebrated compatriots Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.

With that high-profile pair of former number one players - both engaged in comebacks to tennis following retirement - US Open semi-finalist Wickmayer blazed her own trail with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of top seed Flavia Pennetta to earn the Auckland title.

The third-seeded Wickmayer claimed the third title of her career dating back just over eight months.

“This week will stay in my heart and my soul for the rest of my life,” she said. “I’m just really happy to bring this trophy home. It’s the most important one till now.

“Hopefully there will be many more to come.

“My back was hurting when I came here, mentally I didn’t feel very well. I tried to focus on other things, relax and enjoy being at a tournament again,” said the player who beat a one-year ban, reversed for missing notification to anti-doping authorities in 2009.

The Belgian ranks 16th and is unworried by a relative lack of attention paid to her at home. “Everyone is talking about Kim and Justine playing in Brisbane,” Wickmayer said of the two finalists at the WTA event this week.

“All the Belgian press is there. That’s what it’s going to be, I guess, with Kim and Justine back.”

Wickmayer constructed her victory over Italy’s Pennetta with five breaks of serve, winning in less than an hour and a quarter.