PARIS, Feb 11: Russia's Nadia Petrova beat unseeded Czech Lucie Safarova 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 to win the $600,000 WTA Paris Indoor Open on Sunday.

Safarova's free-flowing attacking game bore dividends in the first set as she broke the Russian twice on the way to claiming it 6-4.

But her risky all-or-nothing ground strokes proved her undoing thereafter as the world number seven's greater consistency told.

Safarova broke first in the fifth game but three games later she allowed Petrova to level after two double faults and two wild forehands handed the Russian a break back.

The Czech world No 32, who will equal her career-high 26 ranking in Monday's new list, hit straight back and Petrova played a sloppy game at 4-4, giving up another break after a forehand strayed wide.

Safarova served out the set and immediately broke her opponent in the first game of the second set.

She was on fire at this juncture and in one point she produced a dogged rearguard action with Petrova prowling at the net before ripping a forehand winner down the line.

But it was at this point that the Czech 20-year-old's radar started to malfunction and she won only one of the next 13 games.

But with the match all but lost at 1-5 in the decider, Safarova suddenly mounted a comeback.

She saved a match point at 1-5 and another at 2-5 before gaining one break back. She held serve to love and briefly took a 30-0 lead on Petrova's serve at 4-5.

But the Russian dug in too and the pair put on a thrilling final game with Petrova eventually taking the title on her fourth match point as Safarova sent a backhand flying over the baseline.

BAMMER TRIUMPH

Pattaya (Thailand): Sybille Bammer held off three match points to defeat sixth-seed Gisela Dulko 7-5 3-6 7-5 on Sunday to claim the Pattaya Open.

It was the first title of her career for the unseeded 26-year-old left-hander, and established her as one a few mothers to win a major event.

The outcome of the match hung in the balance until the final game, after Dulko had appeared to be on her way to victory in the third set.

Looking for her own first title after finishing runner-up in Hobart in 2005, Dulko held three match points on Bammer's serve at 5-3, served for the match at 5-4 and then dropped her serve again at 6-5.

It was an impressive turnaround by Bammer, who appeared to be tiring against a composed and increasingly confident Dulko.

But the Argentine paid the penalty for failing to convert a stream of break points. She finished the two-hour, 55-minute match having won just six of 18, while Bammer took seven of her 10 break point opportunities.

Dulko was also hindered by difficulty in putting her first serve into play, while Bammer served well and by hitting the ball deep often forcing errors.

Seven of the 12 games in the first set went against serve, but that did not indicate a weakness by either player in what was generally a high-quality contest.

After Bammer had edged the opening set, Dulko played more aggressively and mixed up her game with several dropshots to level the match at one set all.

Bammer then broke to lead 2-0 in the deciding set, but her lead was short-lived as Dulko immediately broke back and then broke again to lead 3-2 when Bammer sent a backhand wide.

Dulko went on to lead 5-3 and appeared to have enough momentum to carry her to victory, but Bammer staged a remarkable comeback and snapped up the next four games.—AFP