Lee clinches title over fellow Korean

MANILA, Philippines - Fancied Lee Ye Ra overcame Yoo Mi’s gritty stand then wore down her fellow Korean rival to capture the crown in the $10,000 Holcim/ITF Women’s Circuit Week I crown at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

The 22-year-old Lee, who trounced Juan Ting Fei of Chinese Taipei in Saturday’s semifinals, was leading, 6-4, 6-6 (5-2) in the second set tiebreaker when Yoo, who overwhelmed Nicha Lertpitaksinchai of Thailand, 6-1, 6-3, retired due to cramps.

Lee, currently ranked 599th in the ITF, thus nailed her first singles title in the season, capping a successful week after teaming up with fellow Korean Kim Sun Jung to cop the doubles crown.

Lee and Kim outlasted compatriots Han Na Lae and Yoo Mi, 6-4, 4-6, 10-6, in another all-Korean finale in the tournament sponsored by Holcim, PLDT/Smart, Phinma and the ITF Grand Slam Development Fund.

Like in her doubles win, Lee also struggled to pocket the singles plum as she had to overhaul deficits in both the first and second sets to turn back Yoo.

Yoo broke Lee in the seventh game of the opening set to shatter a 3-all count and looked headed to snaring the eighth game after going up 40-30.