DUBAI • Elina Svitolina celebrated breaking into the world's top 10 after beating Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-2 at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday.
The Ukrainian cracked the elite on 10th position as she defeated 2011 champion Wozniacki, a former world No. 1.
She claimed her sixth career trophy and second in a month after Taipei as she beat Wozniacki for the second time without a loss.
"This is very, very special for me, I played some amazing tennis this week," she said after playing in her first WTA Premier 5 final. "This is my first trophy at such a big event... I've dreamed for all my life to be in top 10."
Her victory in a match which began two hours late due to rain marked the biggest of her career.
She spent 54 minutes in claiming the first set in a battle of long points.
Svitolina took a 3-2 lead in the second set on a break, then reached 5-2 before drilling a forehand winner down the line for victory after less than 90 minutes.
Wozniacki was playing her second final in as many weeks after finishing runners-up in Doha to Karolina Pliskova.
"It's been a good two weeks for me, playing two finals," said the Dane. "This is a good sign for the rest of the season."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
