Kirilenko, Petrova win WTA Championships

ISTANBUL, TURKEY – OCTOBER 28: Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova of Russia pose for photographers after defeating Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova of Czech Republic during the final of the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships at the Sinan Erdem Dome October 28, 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Istanbul, Oct 29 – The Russian women’s tennis pair of Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova won the WTA Championships after beating Czech duo Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka here in the final.

Doubles World No.8 Petrova and No.10 Kirilenko saved three break points on their way to a 6-1, 6-4 victory in a match Sunday that lasted little over an hour.

The win, in which Petrova and Kirilenko lost only two points on serve in the first set and broke early in the second, caps a strong year for the Olympic bronze medallists.

For Kirilenko, 25, it is the first triumph at the tour finals, while Petrova, paired with Meghan Shaughnessy of the United States, won the doubles in 2004. The winners will take home a total of $375,000.