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17 year old Czech rallies to defeat Linette to claim Chennai Open Crown, her first WTA title

By Our Special Correspondent


Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova won the final five games of a deciding set to claim her maiden WTA Tour singles title, completing her breakthrough week on Sunday with a three-set victory over third seed Magda Linet of Poland.

The 17-year-old Fruhaviratova defeated No.3 seed Lynette 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the final to claim her first crown on the tour.

Fruhvirtova took two-and-a-half hours to win against Lynette, a two-time singles titlist on tour. The teenager avenged last year's lone meeting loss to Lynette in Cleveland.

At 17 years and 141 days old, Fruhvirtova is the youngest titlist of the season so far on the WTA Tour. Coco Gough is the youngest singles champion on tour since she won Parma last year at the age of 17 years and 70 days.

Sunday's match was a gutsy victory for Fruhvirtova, who converted half of her six break points while avoiding seven of the nine she faced in the final, according to a report on the WTA Tour website.

Lynette took an early lead as she broke the first set at 5-4 with a forehand winner on a drop shot. She then ran with the opportunity, holding serve at love to take a one-set lead.

Fruhvirtova went 5-3 up in the second set to earn the first break of the day and turn the match around. She leveled the match by consolidating in the next game, ending the set in which she never faced a break point.

A forehand winner gave Lynette the first break of the decider for a 3-1 lead and Pole looked to be in charge after holding for 4-1. But Fruhvirtova used powerful hitting to pull back serve at 4-3, and the Czech teenager went ahead with a break with a sterling return at 5-4, the report said.

Fruhaviratova never relinquished that advantage, earning her first championship point in the next game to clinch her first title.

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