The Spaniard comes through a three-set final against rising Italian talent Tyra Grant in front of 800 spectators
The fifth edition of the Open delle Puglie – Trofeo Lapietra belongs to Leyre Romero Gormaz. The 24-year-old Spaniard overcame talented young Italian Tyra Grant in a hard-fought final on the centre court at Tennis Club Foggia, sealing the title with a 7-5, 0-6, 6-2 victory.
Playing in front of around 800 spectators, the two finalists delivered an entertaining contest packed with momentum swings. It was a fitting final between the two players who had produced some of the best tennis of the entire tournament week.
The opening set featured a succession of breaks of serve. Romero Gormaz moved 4-2 ahead, but Grant responded strongly and fought her way back to 5-5. The Spaniard then found another gear, taking the next two games to close out the set 7-5.
Grant took command early in the second set. The 18-year-old Italian played with determination and intensity, racing through the set without dropping a game and forcing the final into a decider.
The third set remained finely balanced through the opening four games, with the players locked at 2-2. From there, Romero Gormaz stepped up the pace from the baseline and began to dictate more of the rallies, putting Grant under increasing pressure. The Italian was unable to stay with her down the stretch, as the Spaniard reeled off four consecutive games to complete a 6-2 deciding set and secure the trophy.
It was a disappointing finish for the young Italian, who narrowly missed out on the title with Italy captain Tathiana Garbin watching from the stands. Garbin was in Foggia for the final match of the WTA 125 tournament.
The overall verdict on the international event was extremely positive. The tournament was staged at Tennis Club Foggia for the first time, backed by the experience of an established organisational team led by Enzo Ormas and the Ad Sport association.
