Van Uytvanck defends WTA Budapest title

Alison Van Uytvanck won the WTA Hungarian Ladies Open for the second year running thanks to a come-from-behind victory over Marketa Vondrousova.

No.1 seed Van Uytvanck was outplayed in the first set before recovering to win 1-6 7-5 6-2 – notching her third career WTA title in the process.

“I really love Hungary, and this court, and this event,” she said during the trophy ceremony, before adding on Twitter: “What an unbelievable week!” she tweeted. “Won the tournament @WTABudapest for the second year in a row! Tough matches! A special thanks to (fello Belgian tour player) Kirsten Flipkens for coaching me this week!”

BACK????TO????BACK!

What a comeback for @AlisonVanU to claim her second Budapest title!??

Defeats Vondrousova 1-6, 7-5, 6-2@HUNgarianTENNIS pic.twitter.com/iYyB3qRiAf

— WTA (@WTA) February 24, 2019

The Belgian dropped the first set in her final three matches in Budapest, yet managed to extend her winning streak in the Hungarian capital to 10 following her win over Vondrousova.

She was forced to save five match points in a nail-biting semifinal against Ekaterina Alexandrova, ultimately winning 3-6 6-4 7-6(7).

In the final 12 months ago, she stopped former world No.4 Dominika Cibulkova 7-5 in the third set.

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This time, she was facing a 19-year-old ranked No.81, yet Vondrousova has already tasted success on the WTA tour, winning the title in Biel, Switzerland two years ago.

The left-handed Czech is projected to rise to the cusp of the world’s top 60 after reaching the final in just her second event of 2019.

Van Uytvanck had kind words for her vanquished opponent.

“You’re still young, you have a long and good road ahead of you – keep working like that and you’ll have more titles for sure,” she said.

The players were joined on court for the trophy presentation by women’s tennis legend Monica Seles.