Bertens downs Tomljanovic to secure Korea Open win

SEOUL: Kiki Bertens defeated Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the Korea Open final on Sunday, securing her third WTA Tour singles title of the season to continue her career-best year.

The second-seeded Bertens came back from break down in the deciding set to defeat the Australian in two hours and 22 minutes and add a seventh title to her collection. In the narrowly contested match, the Dutchwoman rallied past the unseeded Tomljanovic to grab a 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-2 victory.

Bertens was broken twice in the first set but fought back each time and then dominated the tiebreaker. But Tomljanovic came back with her best tennis of the match to take the second, coming from 3-4 down and winning five games in a row to send the match into a decider. And the Australian looked like she might complete the comeback as she took a 2-0 lead, but the battling Bertens fought back, winning the final six games of the match and sealing the title with a powerful forehand.

The trophy is the Dutchwoman’s third of the season, following championship runs in Charleston and Cincinnati.