World number one and defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne won her third title of the year on Saturday with a 7-6, 6-3 victory over Russian teenager Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final of the Dubai Open.
Henin-Hardenne added to her victories in Sydney and at the Australian Open with the win, though it was an awkward match for the Belgian, who was unable to dominate the 85-minute baseline battle at any stage.
"I'm very happy to defend my title, especially because last week I wasn't feeling well and I wasn't sure I could be 100 percent," said the Henin-Hardenne, who won $93,000.
"I knew it was going to be tough because Svetlana played great tennis this week, and I knew I had to fight a lot."
Henin-Hardenne took an early lead, breaking for 2-1 and dropping only three points in her first four service games.
She then failed to serve out the set at 5-4, double faulting and making three backhand errors to allow her 18-year-old opponent to level before winning the tiebreak 7-3.
Kuznetsova, who beat former world number one Venus Williams and two other seeds on the way to the final, lacked aggression in the first set and attacked more in the second.
Henin-Hardenne was able to respond, with her returns forcing several errors from Kuznetsova, which led to a service break for a 2-0 lead but the Russian refused to buckle.
She broke back in the fifth game before a clumsy forehand allowed the Belgian to break again to lead 5-3 and then serve out for the match.
Kuznetsova said that nerves had affected her performance during the first set.
"It was the final and I was a little bit tight inside," said Kuznetsova. "I wasn't at my best today, and to beat Justine the way she plays now I have to be at the top of my game.
"I was trying to relax and do the things I can do, but she didn't allow me to play the way I wanted to."
Kuznetsova admitted that she took a more cautious approach because she was afraid of making errors.
"I didn't want to do many unforced errors, and that's maybe why I wasn't so aggressive."
"Maybe that was my mistake and I didn't choose the tactic I had to. I was still trying to attack sometimes, but she plays the ball with a lot of spin and made me stay back."
