12 matches, 24 sets in a row: Bernarda Pera wins Hamburg for second title in a row

Bernarda Pera beats top seed Anett Kontaveit in straight sets and will rise to a new career-high ranking on Monday

Bernarda Pera of the U.S. and Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit pose with trophies after the women’s singles final in Hamburg Image Credit: AI/ Reuters/ Panoramic

Tennis Majors

July 23, 2022

Bernarda Pera is on a roll. The American won her 12th straight sets match in a row to win the Hamburg Open trophy on Saturday with a win over Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit at Am Rothenbaum in Hamburg, Germany.

Pera, ranked No 81 in the world currently, needed one hour and 14 minutes to beat the top seeded Kontaveit 6-2, 6-4.

The 27-year-old American won her first tour title in Budapest last week, where she had come through the qualifying draws. After winning seven matches in straight sets last week, she continued her red-hot form this week, winning all her five matches without dropping a set.

That's back-to-back titles!!! 🏆

🇺🇸 @bernarda_pera continues her incredible run with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Kontaveit 💫#HamburgOpen pic.twitter.com/357HjGJdoK
— wta (@WTA) July 23, 2022

Her wins this week included the No 9 seed Elena-Gabriela Ruse, of Romnia, (6-0, 6-4), Swiss qualifier Joanne Zuger (6-1, 6-1), Czech Katerina Siniakova (6-3, 6-1) and Belgian Maryna Zanevska, the No 7 seed (6-2, 6-4).

Bernarda Pera is projected to rise to No 54 in the world rankings next week, which would supplant her previous career-best ranking of No 59 which she achieved in March 2020.

During the on-court trophy presentation, Pera dedicated her win to her former coach Kristijan Schneider, who passed away earlier this year.