By Alberto Amalfi | Sunday, February 26, 2017
Top-seeded Timea Babos rallied past second-seeded Lucie Safarova, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3, to capture her second career title before home fans in Budapest.
Photo credit: @HUNgariantennis/Hungarian Ladies Open
Timea Babos celebrated the WTA Tour’s return to Budapest throwing a happy homecoming party.
The top-seeded Hungarian rallied past second-seeded Lucie Safarova, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 in the Budapest final to claim her first WTA singles title in five years.
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It was Babos’ second career singles title and first since she raised the Monterrey title trophy in 2012.
The 47th-ranked Safarova saved three of four break points squeezing out the first set.
Babos served 70 percent and cracked four of her five aces snatching the second set to force a decider.
The 5-foot-10 Hungarian’s serve was the key stroke in the final set.
Babos won eight of 10 points played on her first serve and dropped just four points on her second serve streaking through the final set to clinch the championship in two hours, 17 minutes.
Hall of Famer Monica Seles was on hand to present Babos with the title trophy and champion's check of $43,000. Safarova earned the $21,400 runner-up check and 180 ranking points.
A standout doubles player, Babos is a two-time Wimbledon doubles finalist who won her 11th career doubles crown in Sydney last month partnering Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.