FIERY Colombian Camila Osorio battled from a set down to vanquish Croatian Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, before a packed crowd Saturday night, crowning herself as the historic first Philippine Women's singles queen at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
In a match truly worthy of a championship, Osorio, seeded fifth, clawed back courageously after being blown out in the first set, gaining sweet revenge over Vekic in a marathon struggle that lasted two hours and 31 minutes in front of an appreciative crowd at Center Court.
With the count deadlocked at 4-all in the deciding third set, the usually cool Croatian's emotions got the best of her in the fateful third when she got broken for the first time and threw her racket down in disgust.
Vekic overcame her tantrums to break back and level the count at 5-all. Osorio, however, countered with another service break and closed out the 12th game on her serve with an ace at 40-30.
With the victory, the South American, ranked No. 84 in the world, gained 125 WTA ranking points on top of a $15,500 check (around of P913,182) in the tournament organized by the Philippine Tennis Association and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Present during the awarding ceremony were Philta president and Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, Philta secretary general and Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco and PSC Chairperson Patrick Gregorio.
Vekic (No. 72), the fourth seed, found herself in a deciding third set for the first time. She could not replicate her previous 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 win over her opponent during their initial Cincinnati Masters encounter in 2022.
The Paris Olympic Games silver medalist had to settle for the runner-up trophy, 81 WTA ranking points, plus $8,500 (P500,777) in the meet, serving as the initial 2026 project of the National Sports Tourism-Interagency Committee led by Gregorio.
"I have no words to describe what I am feeling right now. I am super, super happy to be the first Philippine Women's Open champion," said Osorio of her triumph and third title since turning pro in 2020.
"Congratulations to Camila for such an amazing match today. Tonight it was really pleasure playing with you, and I wish the very best for the rest of your teram and for the rest of the year," Vekic said to her opponent.
She also had good words to the Filipino crowd, saying: "This is the very first WTA 125 tournament in the Philippines and I see that you enjoyed it. I hoper that thee will be many more. I hoope to come back because I really enjoyed it. Maraming Salamat!"
In a virtually baseline battle, Vekic proved her superior to her Colombian rival in the first set, surging to an imposing 4-1 lead on the way to wrapping up the first set in 42 minutes.
But once she settled down and solved her rival's confounding serves, Osorio took control of the second set in erecting a similar 4-1 edge then banked on her steely nerves in remaining in contention.
In a brilliant exchange by both opponents, the South American staved off four break points to hold serve in the seventh then finally equalized at 1-set all in securing the ninth game at 40-15 as Vekic netted a backhand.
