Natasha Zvereva really had to pull out the stops and battle through two tricky matches before being crowned champion.
The Russian star seemed to suffer from nerves in the final against #3 seed Nathalie Tauziat of France, who reeled off the first nine games in the final.
But Zvereva bounced back in style to register a compelling 0-6 7-5 6-3 triumph against all the odds.
Although the #6 seed could have cited exhaustion following her semi-final slog of three hours 20 minutes to dismiss South African Amanda Coetzer 6-7(5), 7-6 (4), 10-8, Tauziat was also involved in a last four lengthy thriller.
Tauziat defied the odds, and the Centre Court supporters, to record victory despite trailing 5-1 deficit in the third and final set to Russian ace Anna Kournikova.
Tauziat held her nerve to win 6-4 4-6 8-6 and deliver Kournikova her first defeat at Devonshire Park. The Russian, twice an Eastbourne U21 champion, withdrew injured from the 1998 Direct Line International Championships semi-finals having earlier in the tournament stunned German Steffi Graf with an array of delicate shots, deft touches and power tennis.
Final Natasha Zvereva defeated Nathalie Tauziat 0 – 6 7 – 5 6 – 3
Semi Nathalie Tauziat defeated Anna Kournikova 6 – 4 4 – 6 8 – 6
Semi Natasha Zvereva defeated Amanda Coetzer 6 – 7(5) 7 – 6 (4) 10 – 8
Quarter Anna Kournikova defeated Nathalie Dechy 6 – 3 7 – 6 (5)
Quarter Nathalie Tauziat defeated Elena Likhovtseva 0 – 6 6 – 2 6 – 1
Quarter Amanda Coetzer defeated Mariaan De Swardt 7 – 6 (3) 6 – 3
Quarter Natasha Zvereva defeated Anne Kremer 6 – 0 6 – 1
Rnd 16 Nathalie Dechy defeated Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 7 – 5 6 – 2
Rnd 16 Anna Kournikova defeated Lisa Raymond 7 – 6 (4) 6 – 4
Rnd 16 Nathalie Tauziat defeated Sylvia Plischke 6 – 3 6 – 3
Rnd 16 Elena Likhovtseva defeated Ai Sugiyama 6 – 3 6 – 4
Rnd 16 Mariaan De Swardt defeated Irina Spirlea 6 – 3 6 – 4
Rnd 16 Amanda Coetzer defeated Elena Tatarkova 6 – 3 6 – 4
Rnd 16 Natasha Zvereva defeated Mirjana Lucic 7 – 5 6 – 1
Rnd 16 Anne Kremer defeated Monica Seles 6 – 4 6 – 4
Rnd 32 Nathalie Dechy defeated Amy Frazier 4 – 6 6 – 2 6 – 1
Rnd 32 Lisa Raymond defeated Magui Serna 3 – 6 7 – 6 (6) 6 – 4
Rnd 32 Anna Kournikova defeated Chanda Rubin 6 – 2 4 – 6 6 – 4
Rnd 32 Sylvia Plischke defeated Karen Cross 6 – 2 3 – 6 6 – 1
Rnd 32 Ai Sugiyama defeated Maureen Drake 7 – 5 6 – 1
Rnd 32 Elena Likhovtseva defeated Corina Morariu 2 – 6 6 – 4 6 – 0
Rnd 32 Irina Spirlea defeated Anna Smashnova 6 – 2 3 – 6 6 – 2
Rnd 32 Mariaan De Swardt defeated Anne-Gaelle Sidot 7 – 6 (5) 6 – 2
Rnd 32 Elena Tatarkova defeated Louise Latimer 6 – 4 7 – 6 (2)
Rnd 32 Natasha Zvereva defeated Tara Snyder 6 – 3 6 – 3
Rnd 32 Mirjana Lucic defeated Alexandra Fusai 7 – 5 6 – 3
Rnd 32 Anne Kremer defeated Samantha Smith 6 – 4 6 – 1
