Cruise control in the women's final of the New Zealand Tennis Championships ended up taking a lot longer than first thought as Kiwi-born, Australian representative, Sacha Jones won her third national senior title with a three-set victory over Di Hollands at North Harbour.
The match also proved to be possibly Jones' last as a professional, as a constant stream of injuries _ two torn abs, stress injuries with her shins and a recurring wrist injury in the past year _ have effectively stalled any chances of making the top 100 despite at times looking like it was on the cards.
After winning the title in 2007 and 2011 Jones then looked odds-on to take this year's title in the easiest of fashion, winning the first set 6-0 and being up 3-0 in the second set before Hollands got on the scoreboard.
Hollands, aged 30 broke Jones' serve and raised her arms in mock victory as she found herself on the scoreboard at 1-3 down and with a little more resolve in her game.
Twenty-three-year-old Jones, ranked at 287 in the world, suddenly found herself making basic errors which Hollands, ranked 681st, capitalised on - winning four straight games and eventually the set 6-4.
