(Translation from Diario La Provincia Digital (08/04/2002))
Porto is too tough for Magüi Serna
The Catalan player Ángeles Montolio, seed number one, won yesterday the third tournament in her career, after defeating the Canarian Magüi Serna in Porto’s final (140,000 dollars in prizes), by 6-1, 2-6 and 7-5. Montolio won in this hard-fought match in an hour and 37 minutes, to win her third title after the ones in Estoril and Bol last season. Magüi Serna, who also lost in last year’s final (against Arantxa Sánchez Vicario), played her third final (Porto and Eastbourne).
The Catalan dominated the first set without problems, with breaks in the first and third games, but Serna could break to get the 3-1, but it was useless, as Montolio won the three following games with security, winning the first set in her first chance.
In the second set, with the Canarian much calmer and much more concentrated, the match was closer and it was about to be cancelled due to the rain.
The Canarian had an advantage of 3-0 and won this second set by 6-2, so the match had to be decided in the third set.
The match was very close and exciting in this third set, with breaks for both of them, since the 4th till the 8th game. Ángeles Montolio bore better the pressure in a match where the crow supported much more the Canarian player, and when she was leading by 6-5, she could break Serna’s serve and got the title in her first chance.