Sloane Stephens' day began in uncertainty and ended in silverware.
In the space of five hours, the American overcame weather disruptions, former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki and, in the tournament showpiece, Julia Goerges to clinch the 2016 ASB Classic in Auckland.
After yesterday's wash out saw her semifinal with Wozniacki stretch over two days and require completion earlier today, Stephens showed no signs of fatigue in dispatching Goerges 7-5 6-2 in little more than an hour.
Asked what ran through her head once her tournament-winning forehand sailed past Goerges to end a marathon day, Stephens joked, "finally, I'm done".
"I've played some really tough players this week, and to play this morning and come back to play the final is something I've never done before, so I was really pleased with the way I was able to pull myself together."
After play was last night cancelled at 9.15pm, Stephens resumed this morning with a 5-2 lead in the first set over Wozniacki. Stephens had fallen in all five of her previous encounters with the tournament favourite but, after finishing off the first set, she claimed the second in a tie-break to advance to the final.
There, the world No 30 saved a couple of break points early in the first set before breaking Goerges in the 11th game of the set to establish supremacy. And, after an early break in the second set, Stephens made light work of her 50th-ranked opponent in the second set to clinch her second career singles title.
"It feels amazing," said the 22-year-old. "To win a tournament is unbelievable and I'm just really happy."
