Martita Ortega wins first title of season in Alicante

Martita Ortega has won her first title of the season with new playing partner Sofia Araujo in a thrilling final in the Alicante Open.

The adidas player and her Portuguese partner saw out a tense match 7-6, 7-6 against Spanish-Argentinian pair, Virginia Riera y Tamara Icardo.

Having battled their way through to the final, Ortega and Araujo went into the match as slight favourites over their opponents. And spectators watching the match were treated to an absolute epic as the pairs traded shots.

The first set was a tense affair, with all four players showing off their array of shots, and Martita looking comfortable playing with the Adipower Light 3.2. Neither pair gave anything away and the set went on serve until Riera and Icardo broke serve to go 6-5 up and serve for the set. But Martita and Sofía broke back immediately to take the set to a tie-break. Once again, it went on serve until late on. At 6-5 up, Martita and Sofía managed to force Riera into an error and finish it off 7-5.

No let up into tension or intensity

If anyone in attendance thought the players would ease off the gas in the second set, they would be proved wrong. Madrid-based player Martita and her playing partner broke midway through the second set to move 4-2 up and look like they may close out the win. But their opponents put up an immediate fightback and took the next two games to level up at 4-4.

Things got even more tense at the end, as Martita and Sofía, having broken once more, served for the match at 6-5, but were broken again as the second set went into another tie break.

Thankfully, Martita was able to see out the tie break and lift the title. Speaking afterwards, she said the match could have gone either way and it was down to the finest of margins that they took the victory.

Onwards and upwards for Martia and Sofía, who will look to use this as a building block for more success this season.