Bengaluru, Feb 22 (NationPress) The third seed and World No. 124 Hanne Vandewinkel from Belgium capped off an impressive week with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over wildcard Vaishnavi Adkar in the final of the KPB Trust ITF Women’s Open W100 Bengaluru 2026.

The 21-year-old Adkar, hailing from Pune and ranked World No. 690, found herself in the biggest match of her career, becoming the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza to reach an ITF W100 final. Despite her historic achievement, Vandewinkel's experience and steady play were evident from the outset.

By securing the title, Vandewinkel earned 100 WTA ranking points and a prize purse of USD 15,239. On the other hand, Adkar gained 65 ranking points and USD 8,147, significantly boosting her position in the rankings.

Vandewinkel broke Adkar's serve early, taking a commanding 3-0 lead while capitalizing on unforced errors and showcasing her powerful forehand. By maintaining steady depth from the baseline, she secured the first set 6-0 with an ace.

The second set mirrored the first, with an early break giving Vandewinkel the advantage. Adkar fought back with a few winners, holding her serve for the first time in the match during the third game. She earned three break points in the fourth game as Vandewinkel lost focus momentarily.

In response, the Belgian player adjusted her strategy, slowing her returns to disrupt Adkar’s rhythm. She saved all three break points, held serve at 3-1, and maintained pressure throughout. Vandewinkel pushed Adkar to deuce once again before extending her lead to 4-1. Despite Adkar’s efforts to extend rallies and force errors, Vandewinkel remained composed.

In the seventh game, Vandewinkel reached two match points, clinching victory on her second attempt, completing the match in just over an hour.

“Going into the match, it was a bit of an unknown, but I was aware of her previous wins against strong players. I made sure to stay fully focused and not let her find her rhythm. My goal was to make her work for every point, and I believe I executed that well,” Vandewinkel stated after her win.

Adkar reflected positively on her experience, stating, “This week has been solid for me. After a challenging year, a week like this is incredibly beneficial. I feel more confident in my game, and my self-belief has definitely improved.”

Although the final was a challenging hurdle, Adkar's breakthrough as a wildcard marked a significant milestone. She triumphed over several higher-ranked opponents, reaching a historic W100 Final and breaking into the top 500 for the first time in her career, positioning herself as the second-highest ranked Indian.

--IAN

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