By Alberto Amalfi | Saturday, May 4, 2019
Swiss qualifier Jil Teichmann beat Czech wild card Karolina Muchova, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4, to capture her first WTA title on the red clay of Prague.
Photo credit: TK Sparta Praha/Pavel Lebeda (sport-pics.cz)
In a clash of first-time finalists, Jil Teichmann had the last word.
The Swiss qualifier beat back Czech wild card Karolina Muchova, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4, to capture her first WTA title on the red clay of Prague.
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A joyous Teichmann fell to the dirt in celebration after converting her first championship point. Teichman withstood a spirited Muchova, a vocal Czech crowd and spitting rain and heavy conditions to complete the best week of her career.
Prior to Prague, the 146th-ranked Teichmann had not reached a Tour-level quarterfinal.
That did not faze the left-hander, who made history as the first qualifier to win Prague.
Teichmann dropped just one set in five tournament wins and that set came in her 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, triumph over former French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
"I'm just speechless, honestly. I just fought and fought. It was a great battle and I'm just relieved that it's done," Teichmann said. "I'm exhausted, but Kaja played a great match as well. I knew it was going to be a battle, but in the end, one has to win."
The 21-year-old Swiss upset ninth-seeded Czech Barbora Strycova, 6-3, 6-0, in yesterday's semifinals.
Today, Teichmann twice came back from a break down in the decisive set winning four of the final five games.
Muchova gave the tournament a Czech finalist for the fifth straight year, but could not sustain her 3-2 lead in the decider.