Prudential Hong Kong Tennis 125: Australia’s Tomljanovic overcomes Tauson in final
Japan’s Nao Hibino and Makoto Ninomiya are beaten in the doubles final
Ajla Tomljanovic battled back from one set down to beat Clara Tauson and win the Prudential Hong Kong 125 Tennis tournament for only the second title of the 31-year-old’s career.
World No 72 Tauson, who has been troubled by a left thigh problem at Victoria Park this week, lost her opening service game, but broke back in a game featuring eight deuces, before claiming a first set that lasted one hour and five minutes.
A three-times grand slam quarter-finalist, Tomljanovic has latterly looked more like the player who reached world No 32 last year than the one currently dwelling at No 107. And she moved through the gears to win two tight sets and secure a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in two hours and 27 minutes.
Tomljanovic, who had overcome Anna Blinkova, the conqueror of Simona Halep, and Emma Navarro in the semi-finals, won her first WTA title on clay in Brazil last year. She has finished runner-up in five WTA 250 tournaments.
Monica Niculescu and Elena-Gabriela Ruse won the Hong Kong doubles final, beating Japan’s Nao Hibino and Makoto Ninomiya.