Saturday 30 April 2016 14:23, UK
Lucie Safarova battled back from a set down to defeat Sam Stosur 3-6 6-1 6-4 in the final of the Prague Open.
Stosur, who enjoyed a walkover in the semi-finals after Russia's Svetlana Kuznestova withdrew due to a thigh injury, took command of the match when she broke Czech Safarova's serve to lead 2-0 in the opening set.
The Australian then held firm to secure the set after saving one break point at 4-2.
However, Stosur had problems with her serve in the second set with four double faults allowing the home player to level the match.
The deciding set was a cliff-hanger with 29-year-old Safarova breaking to love to lead 4-3 before serving out with her 14th ace to claim her seventh WTA title, but her first since winning in Doha last February.
World No 16 Safarova, who lost to Serena Williams in last year's French Open final, suffered from a bacterial infection towards the end of last year and had made a poor start to the year.
She had crashed out of five successive tournament at the first-round stage before triumphing this week when she won five matches on the trot on home soil.
"It was a big fight. It's always tough against her. I was waiting for my chance and it came in the second set," said Safarova, whose record against Stosur is now 11-3.
