Fruhvirtova clinches Chennai Open crown

CHENNAI: Czech Republic teenager Linda Fruhvirtova bagged her maiden WTA Tour level title with a stunning come-from-behind win over Poland’s Magda Linette in the Chennai Open 250 singles final at the SDAT Tennis Stadium here on Sunday. The 17-yearold Fruhvirtova defeated the third seed 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a hard-fought contest that lasted two hours and 40 minutes. Fruhvirtova was down 1-4 at one stage in the deciding third set, but delivered her best when it mattered the most, winning five games in succession. In the final set, the Czech player broke her opponent twice – in the seventh and ninth games – to tilt the match in her favour. Meanwhile, in the doubles final, the top-seeded combination of Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) and Luisa Stefani (Brazil) crushed the unseeded duo of Anna Blinkova (Russia) and Natela Dzalamidze (Georgia) 6-1, 6-2 to clinch the trophy with ease.