DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. -- Chris Evert Lloyd rebounded from an error-filled first set Sunday to defeat Andrea Jaeger 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 and win the $125,000 Deer Creek Women's Tennis Open before her hometown fans.
The victory was worth $22,000 to Lloyd, who was cheered by a host of relatives and friends from her nearby hometown of Fort Lauderdale.
Jaeger collected $11,000 in this repeat of last year's final.
Explaining her ragged play in the first set, Lloyd said, 'All week long I've been playing people who were aggressive and came to the net. I just couldn't place my shots.'
Lloyd said she talked to herself halfway through the second set and changed her style of play, coming to the net, smashing overheads and hitting drop shots to pull Jaeger off the baseline. 'That's the only way you can beat Andrea,' Lloyd said.
With the second set at 3-2 for Jaeger, Lloyd held her own service and reeled off 10 straight games for victory.
With the second set at 3-2 for Jaeger, Lloyd held her own service and reeled off 12 straight games for victory.
Halfway through the second set, Jaeger began holding her side. She said she awakened Sunday with sore ribs and played wearing heavy tape around her middle. She said her hurting ribs, from a source she could not explain, hampered her serving.
'I really didn't know she was hurting,' said Lloyd, 'and I wasn't trying to take advantage or would have if I did know.'
It was Lloyd's first victory on the tour since Wimbledon.
