Viktorija Golubic (32 years old) ends the year 2024 with a cannonball. A month and a half after her coronation in Jiujiang (China), the Zurich native won her second consecutive tournament, in Limoges, played on hard courts and labeled WTA 125.
The high point of a great week for the Swiss since she faced in the final the Schwyzoise Céline Naef (19 years old) in a derby between teammates of Billie Jean King Cup (they were both part of the selection put together by the captain Heinz Günthardt for the play-off win against Serbia last month).
Golubic presented himself with an advantage in experience compared to his young compatriot, a finalist on the main circuit for the first time in his career. This was evident since she was the one who best negotiated the key moments. Broken on her first service game and trailing 0-2, the Zurich woman reacted quickly.
She did not give up her face-off thereafter and, at the same time, stole that of her rival three times: from the third game to return to 2-1, then to lead 6-5, making a decisive step towards winning the first set, and finally from the start of the second to take the lead. “Viki” maintained its lead until the end and won after 1h47 (7-5, 6-4).
This is his sixth trophy at the highest level, after the WTA 125 in Indian Wells (2019), Saint-Malo (2021), Rouen (2023) as well as the WTA 250 in Gstaad (2016) and, therefore, Jiujiang . Thanks to her career, she will climb 19 places in the next world ranking, going from 109th place to 90th. A nice comeback for the one who was still in 168th position at the end of October.
The leap is even more impressive for Céline Naef. Currently 181st, the Schwyzoise will appear 153rd on Monday. A nice early Christmas present for Swiss Tennis.
